Striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus)

Scientific name: Plotosus lineatus Thunberg, 1787

Striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus)

The Striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Plotosidae.

Biology

The only catfish found in coral reefs. Also found in estuaries, tide pools and open coasts. Juveniles form dense ball-shaped schools of about 100 fish; adults are solitary or occur in smaller groups of around 20 and are known to hide under ledges during the day. Adults search and stir the sand incessantly for crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and sometimes fish. Oviparous, with demersal eggs and planktonic larvae. The highly venomous serrate spine of the first dorsal and each of the pectoral fins are dangerous, and even fatal in rare cases.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Plotosus lineatus
Family
Plotosidae (Eeltail catfishes)
Order
Siluriformes (Catfish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
32.0
Common length
25.0
Depth range
1–60 m (3–197 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; amphidromous; depth range 1 - 60 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan, southern Korea, and the Ogasawara Islands, south to Australia and Lord Howe Island. Palau and Yap in Micronesia. Sometimes enters freshwaters of East Africa (Lake Malawi) and Madagascar.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Venomous
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.44-0.45; tm=1-3; tmax=7)

More other freshwater fish

See all other freshwater fish

Sources

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

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