Nutritional Freshwater Life
182
Parachanna obscura Günther 1861 (= Channa obscura)
Order: Perciformes
Family: Channidae
Common name: African obscure
snakehead.
Distribution: Africa: Nile, Senegal  to
the Chad system, up to the Congo
system (Sanciangco, 2002).
Habitat: Marginal vegetation and
floodplains.
Description: Head of this species is
depressed anteriorly, relatively long, and
covered with large scales. Lower jaw is
slightly longer than upper jaw, with four
to six well-developed canines. Eyes are
laterally located and large and help the
fish to locate its prey quickly. Lateral
line is typically complete, rarely discontinous. Coloration is distinct in having
a series of dark blotches, some of which
may coalesce, and no chevron-shaped
bars are seen across the middle of the
back. This species grows to a maximum
size of 50 cm and only 1 kg (USGS, 2012b).
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (% WW)
Moisture Protein
Ash
Fat
CHO a
68.61
18.23
2.68
0.19
6.93
a Carbohydrate.
Source: Data from Oluwafunmilola and
Ogunkoya (2006).
FaMiLy: aMBaSSidae (aSiatiC GLaSS FiSheS)
Chanda nama Hamilton 1822
Order: Perciformes
Family: Ambassidae
Common name: Elongate glass perchlet.
Distribution: India, Nepal, Pakistan,
and Bangladesh (Dahanukar, 2010a).
Habitat: Freshwater and brackish water;
standing and running waters.
Description: Body of this species is
well compressed and laterally flat.
Dorsal and ventral profiles are equally
convex. Lower jaw is longer than the
upper jaw. Lateral line is partly distinct and partly absent. Second dorsal
spine is distinct. Scales are minute and
rounded. Caudal fin is forked. Body is
transparent and yellowish white with