Channa pleurophthalma

Channa pleurophthalma, is a species of Southeast Asian freshwater fish in the snakehead family.

Channa pleurophthalma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Channidae
Genus: Channa
Species:
C. pleurophthalma
Binomial name
Channa pleurophthalma
(Bleeker, 1851)
Synonyms[1]
  • Ophiocephalus pleurophthalmus Bleeker, 1851
  • Ophicephalus urophthalmus Bleeker, 1852
  • Ophicephalus spiritalis Fowler, 1904

Description

Channa pleurophthalma can reach a length of about 40 centimetres (16 in).[1] The body is cylindrical, laterally flattened and has an iridescent greenish or bluish basic color, with two or three big black patches, which are outlined in orange and an additional ocellus on both the opercle and tail fin. The belly is usually yellowish. The long dorsal fin has 40-43 fin rays, while the soft anal fin has 28-31 rays.[1] This species is caught for human consumption and for the aquarium trade.

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in Indonesia in Sumatra and in Borneo.[1] These fish prefer areas with black and clear waters.[1]

Species description and etymology

Channa pleurophthalma was formally described in 1851 by the Dutch ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker as Ophiocephalus pleurophthalmus with the type locality given as Bandjarmasin on Borneo.[2] The specific name is a compound of pleuro- meaning "side" and ophthalma meaning "eyed" a reference to the 2-3 eyespots or ocelli on its flanks and the single eye spots on the gill cover and on its caudal fin.[3]

References
  1. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Channa pleurophthalma" in FishBase. August 2019 version.
  2. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Ophiocephalus pleurophthalmus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  3. Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (21 October 2019). "Order ANABANTIFORMES: Families ANABANTIDAE, HELOSTOMATIDAE, OSPHRONEMIDAE, CHANNIDAE, NANDIDAE, BADIDAE, and PRISTOLEPIDIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 24 December 2019.

Bibliography
  • Nora Brede, Pascal Antler: Art für Art: Schlangenkopffische: Amazonas / Die Gattungen Channa und Parachanna. Natur und Tier-Verlag (2009), ISBN 3-8665-9104-7
  • Günther Sterba: Süsswasserfische der Welt. Urania-Verlag, 1990, ISBN 3-332-00109-4
  • Walter R. Courtenay & James D. Williams: Snakeheads (Pisces, Channidae) − A Biological Synopsis and Risk Assessment. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1251, 2004 PDF


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