[3] It was described by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber in 1907, originally under the genus Hemipimelodus.

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

[3] Its diet includes mayflies and other terrestrial and aquatic insects, detritus, benthic algae,[4] and crustaceans.

[3] Neoarius velutinus reaches a maximum known standard length of 60 cm (24 in), but usually reaches an SL of 35 cm (14 in).

It reaches a maximum weight of 3.5 kg (7.7 lb).