266
Sexual Dimorphism: Female larger and
stouter with prominent urinogenital papilla and
dull in colouration, while male smaller and lean
with feebly developed papilla and bright in
colour.
Maximum Size
18.0 cm.
Distribution
Uttarakhand
Garhwal Division: Dehradun and Haridwar districts; Kumaon Division: Nainital district.
India
Throughout. Peninsular India, Odisha (Chilka
Lake), Maharashtra, West Bengal and Western
Ghats.
Elsewhere
Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.
Habitat and Ecology
Inhabits slow and shallow waters of rivers of
plains and estuaries; never available above an
altitude of 366 m. Also found in canals, streams,
lakes, ponds and inundated fi elds. It stays on bottom and spawns in the upper water level. The
more slender and generally smaller males pursue
the female in courtship; several males may
join in.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List, least concern.
Remarks
Of minor fi shery value, also kept in aquaria by
hobbyists.
Genus: Mastacembelus Scopoli, 1777
44. Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepede, 1800)
Macrognathus armatus Lacepede, 1800 . Hist.
Nat. Poiss ., 2: 286 (type locality: not known).
Mastacembelus armatus Husain, 2003 . Faun.
Asan Wetland, Wetland Ecosystem Series 5 :
23–26 (Asan reservoir, Asan River above
Kunja Grant and below its barrage).
English Names
Tire-Track Spiny Eel, Zigzag Eel.
Local Names
Bam, Baam, Guj.
Localities Surveyed
Asan River above Kunja Grant, below barrage, at
Bairagiwala and near Herbertpur; small stream
near Asan Barrage, Dhalipur; Asan reservoir.
Tons nadi, Premnagar; Nimi nadi, Paundha.
Diagnostic Characters
D. 33–40/67–82, P. 0/24, A, 3/67–83, C. 17.
Body eel-like, preopercle with 2–3 spines,
preorbital spine strong, mouth small with sharp
teeth on both jaws, spinous dorsal fi n origin
above the pectoral fi n, dorsal and anal fi ns continuous with caudal fi n; body greenish brown
with zigzag markings, a row of black spots along
the base of the soft dorsal fi n, dorsal and anal fi ns
banded or spotted, pectoral fi n spotted.
Maximum Size
90.0 cm; weight 500 g.
Distribution
Uttarakhand
Garhwal
Division:
Chamoli,
Dehradun,
Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts;
Kumaon Division: Almora, Nainital, Pithoragarh
and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Corbett Tiger
Reserve and Rajaji National Park.
India
Jammu and Kashmir (Tawi river and its tributaries), Kerala (Arikayam puzha, Karimpuzha,
Kabani and Kallar rivers), Maharashtra (Vashishti
river and Dhom reservoir), Odisha (Chilka Lake),
Tamil Nadu (Moyar, Chammanaar, Tamiraparani
and Bhavani rivers) and West Bengal (Adma,
Buxa and Jayanti rivers).
Elsewhere
Bangladesh,
Bhutan,
Cambodia,
China,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
A. Husain
Sexual Dimorphism: Female larger and
stouter with prominent urinogenital papilla and
dull in colouration, while male smaller and lean
with feebly developed papilla and bright in
colour.
Maximum Size
18.0 cm.
Distribution
Uttarakhand
Garhwal Division: Dehradun and Haridwar districts; Kumaon Division: Nainital district.
India
Throughout. Peninsular India, Odisha (Chilka
Lake), Maharashtra, West Bengal and Western
Ghats.
Elsewhere
Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.
Habitat and Ecology
Inhabits slow and shallow waters of rivers of
plains and estuaries; never available above an
altitude of 366 m. Also found in canals, streams,
lakes, ponds and inundated fi elds. It stays on bottom and spawns in the upper water level. The
more slender and generally smaller males pursue
the female in courtship; several males may
join in.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List, least concern.
Remarks
Of minor fi shery value, also kept in aquaria by
hobbyists.
Genus: Mastacembelus Scopoli, 1777
44. Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepede, 1800)
Macrognathus armatus Lacepede, 1800 . Hist.
Nat. Poiss ., 2: 286 (type locality: not known).
Mastacembelus armatus Husain, 2003 . Faun.
Asan Wetland, Wetland Ecosystem Series 5 :
23–26 (Asan reservoir, Asan River above
Kunja Grant and below its barrage).
English Names
Tire-Track Spiny Eel, Zigzag Eel.
Local Names
Bam, Baam, Guj.
Localities Surveyed
Asan River above Kunja Grant, below barrage, at
Bairagiwala and near Herbertpur; small stream
near Asan Barrage, Dhalipur; Asan reservoir.
Tons nadi, Premnagar; Nimi nadi, Paundha.
Diagnostic Characters
D. 33–40/67–82, P. 0/24, A, 3/67–83, C. 17.
Body eel-like, preopercle with 2–3 spines,
preorbital spine strong, mouth small with sharp
teeth on both jaws, spinous dorsal fi n origin
above the pectoral fi n, dorsal and anal fi ns continuous with caudal fi n; body greenish brown
with zigzag markings, a row of black spots along
the base of the soft dorsal fi n, dorsal and anal fi ns
banded or spotted, pectoral fi n spotted.
Maximum Size
90.0 cm; weight 500 g.
Distribution
Uttarakhand
Garhwal
Division:
Chamoli,
Dehradun,
Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts;
Kumaon Division: Almora, Nainital, Pithoragarh
and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Corbett Tiger
Reserve and Rajaji National Park.
India
Jammu and Kashmir (Tawi river and its tributaries), Kerala (Arikayam puzha, Karimpuzha,
Kabani and Kallar rivers), Maharashtra (Vashishti
river and Dhom reservoir), Odisha (Chilka Lake),
Tamil Nadu (Moyar, Chammanaar, Tamiraparani
and Bhavani rivers) and West Bengal (Adma,
Buxa and Jayanti rivers).
Elsewhere
Bangladesh,
Bhutan,
Cambodia,
China,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
A. Husain