These are relatively large catfish found in freshwater habitats in Africa,[1] except for the virtually unknown B. tucumanus from South America, which likely is a synonym of Luciopimelodus pati.

[2][3] The present scientific name Bagrus was first proposed by Louis Augustin Guillaume Bosc in 1816 for the bayad and its closest relatives.

Although in 1809, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire had already separated this fish in his new genus Porcus.

But this was overruled by the ICZN, so that the junior synonym could continue to be used.

[4] Eleven living species are placed here:[1] A possible fossil Bagrus from about 7 million years ago, found in Late Miocene Baynunah Formation[5] rocks near Ruwais (Abu Dhabi), has been described:[4] However, it is not quite clear whether it belongs in Bagrus or some other Bagridae genus, or even in the Claroteidae.