261
Remarks
Kept in aquaria. Of no fi shery interest.
37. Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
Ophiocephalus punctatus Bloch, 1793. Naturges,
Ausland , Fische , 8 : 139, pl. 358 (type locality:
rivers and lakes of Coromandel coast).
Ophiocephalus punctatus Husain, 2003 . Faun.
Asan Wetland, Wetland Ecosystem Series 5 :
23–26 (Asan River below its barrage).
English Name
Spotted Snakehead.
Local Names
Sauli, Sewal.
Localities Surveyed
Asan River below barrage, at Dhalipur; Herbertpur,
villages Partitpur and Bairagiwala near Herbertpur;
small stream near Asan Barrage, Dhalipur.
Ponds at Jassowala near Sahaspur and Selakui.
Diagnostic Characters
D. 0/29–30, P. 0/16–17, V. 1/5, A. 0/20–21, C.
12, L.l. 36–39.
Body cylindrical; rosette of cephalic shields
elliptical and inter-orbital with two transverse
rows of shields between it and basal shield, frontal shield separated from single inter-nasal, lie in
the centre; dorsal fi n long, low, origin in relation
to the pelvics variable; pectorals ovate; pelvic
fi ns shorter with obliquely convex margin; anal
fi n also long, low, inserted under about the 9th or
10th dorsal ray; caudal fi n almost rounded; lateral line, curving down after about the 13–16th
scale. Body olive green above, becoming yellowish on sides and paler below, about 7–8 dark,
almost triangular bands on upper half and about
9–11 same-type bands below on the lateral sides
of the body; three dark stripes behind the eye; a
black spot behind the operculum; ventral side
marked with blackish dots; dorsal, anal and caudal fi ns darker, edged with white; paired fi ns pale.
Sexual Dimorphism: In male, urinogenital
opening elongated, ventral side of the body profusely dotted with black and abdomen not distended, whereas in female, the urinogenital opening
circular and suffused with blood, ventral side of the
body marked with diffused black blotches and
abdomen distended during breeding season.
Maximum Length
31.0 cm, commonly 15.0 cm.
Distribution
Uttarakhand
Garhwal Division: Dehradun, Haridwar and
Pauri districts. Kumaon Division: Nainital district. Rajaji National Park.
India
Throughout plains, Terai and Duars, up to an altitude of 600 m. Kerala (Wayanad), Maharashtra,
Odisha (Chilka Lake), Tamil Nadu (Bhavani
river) and West Bengal.
Elsewhere
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China (Yunnan),
Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Malaysia and Thailand (doubtful).
Habitat and Ecology
Found in ponds, swamps, brackish water, ditches
and lakes. Adults prefer stagnant waters in muddy
streams. Feed on worms, insects and small fi sh.
Breed throughout the year.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List, least concern.
Remarks
Of minor fi shery interest. Commonly used as
food by the locals. Kept in aquaria and occasionally used as bait (used as live bait for angling
larger snakeheads; accepts chopped fi sh and
shrimp in the aquarium).
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Amblycipitidae
Genus: Amblyceps Blyth, 1858
38. Amblyceps mangois (Hamilton, 1822)
Pimelodus mangois Hamilton, 1822. Fish.
Ganges : 199–201, 379 (type locality: tanks of
northern Bihar).
14 Fish Fauna of Asan River
Remarks
Kept in aquaria. Of no fi shery interest.
37. Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
Ophiocephalus punctatus Bloch, 1793. Naturges,
Ausland , Fische , 8 : 139, pl. 358 (type locality:
rivers and lakes of Coromandel coast).
Ophiocephalus punctatus Husain, 2003 . Faun.
Asan Wetland, Wetland Ecosystem Series 5 :
23–26 (Asan River below its barrage).
English Name
Spotted Snakehead.
Local Names
Sauli, Sewal.
Localities Surveyed
Asan River below barrage, at Dhalipur; Herbertpur,
villages Partitpur and Bairagiwala near Herbertpur;
small stream near Asan Barrage, Dhalipur.
Ponds at Jassowala near Sahaspur and Selakui.
Diagnostic Characters
D. 0/29–30, P. 0/16–17, V. 1/5, A. 0/20–21, C.
12, L.l. 36–39.
Body cylindrical; rosette of cephalic shields
elliptical and inter-orbital with two transverse
rows of shields between it and basal shield, frontal shield separated from single inter-nasal, lie in
the centre; dorsal fi n long, low, origin in relation
to the pelvics variable; pectorals ovate; pelvic
fi ns shorter with obliquely convex margin; anal
fi n also long, low, inserted under about the 9th or
10th dorsal ray; caudal fi n almost rounded; lateral line, curving down after about the 13–16th
scale. Body olive green above, becoming yellowish on sides and paler below, about 7–8 dark,
almost triangular bands on upper half and about
9–11 same-type bands below on the lateral sides
of the body; three dark stripes behind the eye; a
black spot behind the operculum; ventral side
marked with blackish dots; dorsal, anal and caudal fi ns darker, edged with white; paired fi ns pale.
Sexual Dimorphism: In male, urinogenital
opening elongated, ventral side of the body profusely dotted with black and abdomen not distended, whereas in female, the urinogenital opening
circular and suffused with blood, ventral side of the
body marked with diffused black blotches and
abdomen distended during breeding season.
Maximum Length
31.0 cm, commonly 15.0 cm.
Distribution
Uttarakhand
Garhwal Division: Dehradun, Haridwar and
Pauri districts. Kumaon Division: Nainital district. Rajaji National Park.
India
Throughout plains, Terai and Duars, up to an altitude of 600 m. Kerala (Wayanad), Maharashtra,
Odisha (Chilka Lake), Tamil Nadu (Bhavani
river) and West Bengal.
Elsewhere
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China (Yunnan),
Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Malaysia and Thailand (doubtful).
Habitat and Ecology
Found in ponds, swamps, brackish water, ditches
and lakes. Adults prefer stagnant waters in muddy
streams. Feed on worms, insects and small fi sh.
Breed throughout the year.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List, least concern.
Remarks
Of minor fi shery interest. Commonly used as
food by the locals. Kept in aquaria and occasionally used as bait (used as live bait for angling
larger snakeheads; accepts chopped fi sh and
shrimp in the aquarium).
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Amblycipitidae
Genus: Amblyceps Blyth, 1858
38. Amblyceps mangois (Hamilton, 1822)
Pimelodus mangois Hamilton, 1822. Fish.
Ganges : 199–201, 379 (type locality: tanks of
northern Bihar).
14 Fish Fauna of Asan River