Taxonomy of Finfish (1+2)

4.1.3.2 Genus: Channa Scopoli Snake Headed Fishes

Diagnosis

Body elongated, subcylindrical anteriorly. Abdomen rounded. Head depressed with plate like scales. Snout somewhat obtuse. Mouth opening moderate to wide, may extend to below orbit. Eyes lateral, moderate, in anterior part of head, not visible from below ventral surface. Lips moderate. Jaws equal. Teeth on jaws and palate. Gill openings wide, membranes of two sides connected beneath isthmus. An accessory respiratory organ in the form of a thin bony laminae present in a cavity in gill chamber. Dorsal fin long, inserted almost above pectoral with 29-55 rays and no spine. Anal fin long, with 21-36 rays. Both dorsal and anal fin free from caudal. Caudal fin rounded, Scales small. Lateral line abruptly curved or almost interrupted with 37-110 scales.

Distribution

Throughout India, Nepal, Pakistan, Afganistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, China and the Malay Archipelago.

Species

1. Channa amphibian (McClelland) – India : Bhutan
2. Channa barca (Hamilton) – India : W. Bengal, Meghalaya, Bangladesh, Pakistan.
3. Channa marulius Hamilton – Throughout India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh. Burma. Thailand. China.
4. Channa micropeltes Kuhl & can Hasselt – India : Kerala, Thailand to Malay Archipelago.
5. Channa orientalis (Schneider) – Throughout India. Nepal. Sri Lanka. Bangladesh. Burma. Pakistan.
6. Channa punctatus (Bloch) (Pl. V, Fig. B) – Throughout India. Nepal. Sri Lanka. Bangladesh. Pakistan. Burma. Malaya. China. Tahiti. Polynesia.
7. Channa stewartii (Playfair) – India : Meghalaya, Bihar, W. Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh. Nepal
8. Channa striatus (Bloch) – Throughout India. Sri Lanka. Bangladesh. Pakistan. Burma. China. Philippines. Malaya, Malay Archipelago. Thailand.

KEY TO SPECIES

1.	Four or five scales between orbit and angle of preopercle, 12 or 13 predorsal scales. …	... 2
	Nine to 17 scales between orbit and angle of preopercle, 15 or 22 predorsal scales. …	… 4
2.	Pelvic fin less than half length of pectoral fin. Pectoral fins spotted in zones, darker and lighter patches. Chin marbled. …	… 3
	Pelvic fin more than half length of pectoral fin. Pectoral fins plain.	C. punctatus
3.	Anal fin with 26 rays. Circular black spots each occupying part of a scale present, base of dorsal iridescent blue in life. Dorsal fin with 39 - 40 rays. ….	C. stewartii
	Anal fin with 21-23 rays. No black spots on scales. Dorsal fin with 32-37 rays.	C. orientalis
4.	16 or 17 scales between orbit and angle of preopercle 22 predorsal scales.	C. micropeltes
	9 or 10 scales between orbit and angle of preopercle ….	… 5
5.	18 – 20 preopercle scales. Lateral line with peninsula of the darker Colour extending into the yellow.	C. striatus
	15-16 preopercle scales. No such colour markings on lateral line. …	… 6
6.	A black white - edged ocellus on basal portion of caudal fin present. …	C. marulius
	No such ocellus. …	… 7
7.	Lateral line scales 80. ...	C. amphibia
	Caudal fin rounded. Lateral line scales 60 – 65. …	C. barca