''Macrognathus'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of eel-like
fish
A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
of the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Mastacembelidae of the
order Synbranchiformes.
These fish are distributed throughout most of
South
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
and
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
.
''Macrognathus'' species feed on small aquatic
insect
Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...
larva
A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
e as well as
oligochaetes.
[
]
Appearance and anatomy
Most ''Macrognathus'' species attain in length,[ but a few surpass this size, with the largest being ''M. aral'' at up to .][
''Macrognathus'' are mostly similar to '' Mastacembelus''. However, they differ in a more modified rostrum, which may be slightly to significantly larger and longer than those found in ''Mastacembelus''. This serves not only to find food but also to help gather food.][
]
In the aquarium
A number of species of this genus are popular aquarium
An aquarium (: aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. fishkeeping, Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquati ...
fish. These include the lesser spiny eel, ''Macrognathus aculeatus'', the spotfinned spiny eel, ''Macrognathus siamensis'', as well as others.
Species
According to FishBase
FishBase is a global species database of fish species (specifically finfish). It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web. , there are currently 25 recognized species in this genus.junior synonym
In taxonomy, the scientific classification of living organisms, a synonym is an alternative scientific name for the accepted scientific name of a taxon. The botanical and zoological codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently.
...
of ''M. circumcinctus''.Abraham
Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...
, 2014[Plamoottil, M. & Abraham, N.P. (2014): ''Macrognathus fasciatus'' (Synbranchiformes; Mastacembelidae) - a new fish species from Kerala, India. ''Journal of Experimental Zoology, India, 17 (1): 49-54.'']
* '' Macrognathus guentheri'' ( F. Day, 1865) (Malabar spiny eel)
* '' Macrognathus keithi'' ( Herre, 1940)
* '' Macrognathus lineatomaculatus'' Britz, 2010
* '' Macrognathus maculatus'' ( G. Cuvier, 1832) (Frecklefin eel)
* '' Macrognathus malabaricus'' ( Jerdon, 1849)
* '' Macrognathus meklongensis'' T. R. Roberts, 1986
* '' Macrognathus morehensis'' Arunkumar & Tombi Singh, 2000
* '' Macrognathus obscurus'' Britz, 2010
* '' Macrognathus pancalus'' F. Hamilton, 1822 (Barred spiny eel)
* '' Macrognathus pavo'' Britz, 2010
* '' Macrognathus pentophthalmos'' ( Gronow, 1854) (extinct
Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...
?)
References
Mastacembelidae
Fish of Southeast Asia
{{Synbranchiformes-stub