Taxonomy of Finfish (1+2)

4.1.3.1 Family : Channidae Murrels

Body elongate, subcylindrical anteriorly.  Body with large scales; head with plate-like scales.  Cephalic pits present.  Teeth on jaws, vomer and palate.  Branchiostegals five.  Pseudobranchiae absent.  Gills four.  Gill membranes connected beneath isthmus.  A suprabranchial organ present.  A single long spineless dorsal fin present and a similar anal fin, both free from caudal fin.  Leteral line abruptly curved or almost interrupted.  Air-bladder present, not bifid posteriorly.  Pyloric appendages few, when present.

Basisphenoid roughly Y-shaped.  Frontals articulating with the basisphenoid, not with the parasphenoid.  Posterior edge of nasal suturally united with frontal.  Each epiotic produced into a prominent epiotic process posteriorly.

A single genus is dealt with here.