Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
Spotted snakehead
photo by Ramani Shirantha

Family:  Channidae (Snakeheads)
Max. size:  31 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater; brackish, potamodromous
Distribution:  Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Yunnan in China.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Found in ponds, swamps, brackish water (Ref. 6028), ditches and beels (Ref. 1479). Adults prefer stagnant waters in muddy streams (Ref. 4833). Feed on worms, insects and small fish (Ref. 6028). Accept chopped fish and shrimp in the aquarium. Breed throughout the year. Mitochondrial hypertrophy, noted in the double cone of the retina of this species, is considered a basic process in oil droplet formation (Ref. 10557) believed to be an adaptation for enhanced visual contrast detection in turbid waters (Ref. 10407). Used as live bait for angling larger snakeheads.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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