Black snakehead (Channa melasoma)

Scientific name: Channa melasoma Bleeker, 1851

Black snakehead (Channa melasoma)

The Black snakehead (Channa melasoma) is a freshwater fish of the family Channidae. Native range: Asia, Mekong in Thailand to Indonesia and the Philippines.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 37-41; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 21 - 25. Preserved color dark greenish or bluish dorsally, yellowish or reddish brown ventrally; an inconspicuous spot behind corner of mouth; yellow spots on underside of depressed head occasionally. Pectorals about as long as head behind eyes. Large scales on top of head. Dorsal fin extends beyond tip of anal. Young specimens have a red lateral band from snout to caudal.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Channa melasoma
Family
Channidae (Snakeheads)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
30.0
Environment
Freshwater; benthopelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Asia: Mekong in Thailand to Indonesia and the Philippines.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (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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