[3] It was described by William John Macleay in 1883, originally under the genus Arius.

[1] It inhabits freshwater rivers in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

[3][4] Its diet includes finfish, mollusks, prawns, terrestrial arthropods, aquatic insects, and plants.

[3] The IUCN redlist currently lists the broad-snouted catfish as Least Concern, but makes note of a present decline in the species' population.

It cites fishing/harvesting, mining, quarrying, and residential developments as the main threats to the species.