Channa punctata, the spotted snakehead, is a species of snakehead. It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and nearby areas, ranging across Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Tibet.[2] Its natural habitats are swamps, ponds and brackish water systems.[2] It is a fish of high food value and has little value as aquarium fish.
| Spotted snakehead | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anabantiformes |
| Family: | Channidae |
| Genus: | Channa |
| Species: | C. punctata
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| Binomial name | |
| Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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Description
editChanna punctatus normally grows to around 15.0 cm (5.9 in) in length, but males up to 31.0 cm (12.2 in) have also been captured.[2] The spotted snakehead is listed as Least Concern in IUCN, due to lack of major threats to this species populations.[1]
The species is mainly a carnivore. Favorite food of this species is other small fishes yolk flies and fish larvae. In its natural habitat, it consumes crustaceans, molluscs, insects, small fishes, semi-digested materials and sometimes plants. Its feeding habit changes seasonally. The intensity of feeding is low in mature fishes during the spawning period. Juvenile fish has constant habit of food.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b Chaudhry, S.; de Alwis Goonatilake, S.; Fernado, M.; Kotagama, O. (2019). "Channa punctata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T166437A60584432. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T166437A60584432.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Channa punctata". FishBase. February 2014 version.
- ^ AS Bhuiyan, S Afroz, T Zaman (2006). "Bhuiyan, A.S., Afroz, S. and Zaman, T., 2006. Food and feeding habit of the juvenile and adult snake head, Channa punctatus (Bloch)". J. Life Earth Sci. 1 (2): 53–54.
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External links
edit- "Channa punctata". fl.biology.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- "Spotted snakehead - Channa punctata". aquaticcommunity.com. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- "Biodiversity of Sri Lanka: Freshwater Fish diversity of Sri Lanka". biodiversityofsrilanka.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
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