Bengal eel (Ophisternon bengalense)

Scientific name: Ophisternon bengalense McClelland, 1844

Bengal eel (Ophisternon bengalense)

The Bengal eel (Ophisternon bengalense) is a freshwater fish of the family Synbranchidae. Native range: Asia and Oceania, India and Sri Lanka to south-eastern Asia, Indonesia, Philippines and New Guinea. Recorded from Australia and Palau.

Biology

Adults inhabit both fresh and brackish waters of rivers and swamps or near the river mouth. They occur mainly in thick vegetation of muddy, still water bodies, such as lagoons, swamps, canals and rice fields. Live in soft bottom sediments in quiet, well vegetated backwaters of brackish estuaries and nearby swamps, usually in burrows. Prefer estuarine or tidal areas, as efficient burrowers. The male guards and builds nest or burrow. Marketed fresh, usually not kept alive for long periods of time.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Ophisternon bengalense
Family
Synbranchidae (Swamp-eels)
Order
Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
100.0
Common length
20.0
Environment
Freshwater; brackish; demersal
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Asia and Oceania: India and Sri Lanka to south-eastern Asia, Indonesia, Philippines and New Guinea. Recorded from Australia and Palau.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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