Mastacembelus

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Mastacembelus
Caecomasta-moori4.jpg
Mastacembelus moorii
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Synbranchiformes
Family: Mastacembelidae
Genus: Mastacembelus
Scopoli, 1777
Type species
Ophidium mastacembelus
J. Banks & Solander, 1794 [1]
Species

See text

Synonyms
  • Caecomastacembelus [2]
  • Aethiomastacembelus [2]
  • Afromastacembelus [3]

Mastacembelus is a genus of many species of spiny eel fish from the family Mastacembelidae. They are native to Africa (c. 45 species) and Asia (c. 15 species). [4] Most are found in rivers and associated systems (even in rapids [5] ), but there are also species in other freshwater habitats and a particularly rich radiation is found in the Lake Tanganyika basin with 15 species (14 endemic). [6] [7] A few species can even occur in brackish water. [8]

Contents

Appearance

Several Mastacembelus armatus caught in the Tlawng river in India. This species is sometimes kept in aquariums, but also considered a good food fish and eaten in its native range Tyre track eels.jpg
Several Mastacembelus armatus caught in the Tlawng river in India. This species is sometimes kept in aquariums, but also considered a good food fish and eaten in its native range

The size and pattern varies greatly depending on the exact species of Mastacembelus. The smallest are M. latens and M. simba , which only reach a maximum total length of 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in). [4] [5] At up to 1 m (3.3 ft), the largest of both the family and this genus is M. erythrotaenia . [4] [9] M. erythrotaenia, often known as the fire eel, is blackish with an orange-red pattern, and it is a popular aquarium fish. [9] Otherwise species in this genus are typically brownish and often have a spotted, speckled or mottled pattern, either in another brown hue, grayish or yellowish. This pattern is reflected in the common name of another species sometimes kept in aquariums, the zig-zag eel M. armatus (alternatively called the tire track eel, a name otherwise used for M. favus ). A few others also occasionally appear in the aquarium trade, [9] and some are considered good food fish and eaten locally. [8] M aviceps , M. brichardi , M. crassus and M. latens are found in dark, deep parts of the Congo River and sometimes shallower among rocks. These four species have reduced eyes and are all pinkish-white in color (non-pigmented), similar to cavefish. [5]

Taxonomy

In an evaluation of the Mastacembelidae in 2005, the genera Caecomastacembelus and Aethiomastacembelus (formerly used for the African species) were placed in synonymy with Mastacembelus. [2]

Species

Mastacembelus armatus is a widespread Asian species found in both fresh and brackish water, but as currently defined it is likely a species complex Tire Track Eel.jpg
Mastacembelus armatus is a widespread Asian species found in both fresh and brackish water, but as currently defined it is likely a species complex
Mastacembelus erythrotaenia is a relatively large, brightly marked Asian species that is highly prized in the aquarium trade Ildaal.jpg
Mastacembelus erythrotaenia is a relatively large, brightly marked Asian species that is highly prized in the aquarium trade
Mastacembelus ellipsifer, one of the many species found only in Lake Tanganyika Aethiomasta-ellipsif1.1.jpg
Mastacembelus ellipsifer , one of the many species found only in Lake Tanganyika
Mastacembelus flavidus, another species found only in Lake Tanganyika Mastacembelus-flavidus.jpg
Mastacembelus flavidus , another species found only in Lake Tanganyika

According to FishBase, there are currently 61 recognized species in this genus. [4] 4 additional species (marked with a star* in the list) are recognized by Catalog of Fishes. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Synbranchiformes</span> Order of fishes

Synbranchiformes, often called swamp eels, though that name can also refer specifically to Synbranchidae, is an order of ray-finned fishes that are eel-like but have spiny rays, indicating that they belong to the superorder Acanthopterygii.

The Mastacembelidae are a family of fishes, known as the spiny eels. The Mastacembelids are part of the Order Synbranchiformes, the swamp eels, which are part of the Actinopterygii.

<i>Channa</i> Genus of fishes

Channa is a genus of predatory fish in the family Channidae, commonly known as snakeheads, native to freshwater habitats in Asia. This genus contains about 50 scientifically described species. The genus has a wide natural distribution extending from Iraq in the west, to Indonesia and China in the east, and parts of Siberia in the Far East. A particularly high richness of species exists in Myanmar (Burma) and northeastern India, and many Channa species live nowhere else. In contrast, a few widespread species have been introduced to several regions outside their natural range, where they often become invasive. The large and medium-sized Channa species are among the most common staple food fish in several Asian countries, and they are extensively cultured. Apart from their importance as a food fish, snakeheads are consumed in some regions as a traditional medicine for wound healing and reducing postoperative pain and discomfort, and collected for the international aquarium pet trade.

The name spiny eel is used to describe members of two different families of fish: the freshwater Mastacembelidae of Asia and Africa, and the marine Notacanthidae. Both are so-named because of their eel-like shape and sturdy fin spines. These two families are not related: the Notacanthiformes belong to the Superorder Elopomorpha, whose members are characterized by having leptocephalus larvae. The freshwater Mastacembelids do not share this characteristic and are popular specimens in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire eel</span> Species of fish

The fire eel is a relatively large species of spiny eel. This omnivorous freshwater fish is native to Southeast Asia but is also found in the aquarium trade. Although it has declined locally due to overfishing, it remains common overall.

<i>Synodontis</i> Genus of fishes

Synodontis is the largest genus of mochokid catfishes. It is the biggest genus within the 10 genera and 190 different species in the family Mochokidae. Synodontis has over 131 different species within the genus. Synodontis are also known as squeakers, due to their ability to make stridulatory sounds through their pectoral fin spines when handled or disturbed. Synodontis make a sound that sounds like squeaking by rubbing their spines together. They do this when they have been frightened or when they become angry. Synodontis may also squeak when they are taken out of the water. These catfish are small- to medium-sized fish with many species exhibiting attractive spotted markings. Some species are also known for naturally swimming belly-up, earning the name upside-down catfish. Some of these species are Synodontis contractus and Synodontis nigriventris. While some of these species are known to swim upside down, another species, Synodontis multipunctatus, is a brood parasitic cuckoo catfish,there are two other species Synodontis petricola and Synodontis grandiops are also called brood parasitic cuckoo catfish.

Macrognathus is a genus of eel-like fish of the family Mastacembelidae of the order Synbranchiformes.

<i>Sinobdella sinensis</i> Species of fish

Sinobdella sinensis is an East Asian species of the spiny eel family of the order Synbranchiformes. It is the only species in the genus Sinobdella according to FishBase, but another species, S. dienbienensis, is placed there by Catalog of Fishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zig-zag eel</span> Species of fish

The zig-zag eel, also known as the Baim, tire-track, tire-track spiny-eel, freshwater spiny eel, or marbled spiny eel, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Mastacembelidae. It is native to the riverine systems of the Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka, South China, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and other parts of South and Southeast Asia. The species was initially described as Macrognathus armature. Other common names for this popular captive species include the leopard spiny eel and white-spotted spiny eel.

<i>Marcusenius</i> Genus of ray-finned fishes

Marcusenius is a genus of the elephantfish group native to Africa. Its members are highly diverse in size, with the smallest species reaching less than 15 cm (6 in) and the largest more than 1 m (3.3 ft).

<i>Mastacembelus cunningtoni</i> Species of fish

Mastacembelus cunningtoni is a species of fish in the family Mastacembelidae. It is endemic to the Lake Tanganyika basin, including the Lakes outflow, the Lukuga River as far as the Kisimba-Kilia rapids. It occurs in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. The specific name of this fish honours the British zoologist and anthropologist William Alfred Cunnington (1877-1958), leader of the expedition to Lake Tanganyika which collected the type.

<i>Mastacembelus flavidus</i> Species of fish

Mastacembelus flavidus is a species of fish in the family Mastacembelidae. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. It is found among rocks in shallow, coastal waters to a depth of 6 m (20 ft).

<i>Mastacembelus moorii</i> Species of fish

Mastacembelus moorii is a species of fish in the family Mastacembelidae. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika where it is a secretive species hiding among rocks or in the sediment in the littoral zone. It grows to a total length of 44 centimetres (17 in). The specific name honours the leader of an expedition to Lake Tanganyika, the biologist John Edmund Sharrock Moore (1870-1947).

<i>Mastacembelus platysoma</i> Species of fish

Mastacembelus platysoma is a species of fish, a spiny eel in the family Mastacembelidae. It is found in Lake Tanganyika which is bordered by Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Zambia. The IUCN has listed it as being of "Least Concern".

<i>Mastacembelus ellipsifer</i> Species of fish

Mastacembelus ellipsifer is a species of spiny eel that is endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Africa and sometimes kept in aquariums. Although sometimes called the Tanganyikan spiny eel, it is only one of fifteen spiny eel species in the Tanganyikan basin.

<i>Labeobarbus</i> Genus of fishes

Labeobarbus is a mid-sized ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. Its species are widely distributed throughout eastern Africa and especially southern Africa, but also in Lake Tana in Ethiopia. A common name, in particular for the southern species, is yellowfish. The scientific name refers to the fact that these large barbs recall the fairly closely related "carps" in the genus Labeo in size and shape. As far as can be told, all Labeobarbus species are hexaploid. One species, L. microbarbis from Rwanda, is known to have gone extinct in recent times.

Macrognathus pentophthalmos, the Sri Lanka five-eyed spiny eel, is a small species of spiny eel that is endemic to freshwater habitats in Sri Lanka. Described as a common species as recently as 1980, for unknown reasons its population rapidly declined in the following years and there are no recent confirmed records. In 2012, it was listed as "Critically Endangered, possibly Extinct" in the Sri Lankan National Red List, which was matched by IUCN in 2019.

Macrognathus zebrinus, the zebra spiny eel, is a species of spiny eel endemic to Myanmar, specifically known from the Irrawaddy River, Sittaung River and Salween River and may also occur in Indonesia. It was originally described as Mastacembelus zebrinus before being moved to the genus Macrognathus in 1984 and 1986.

<i>Enteromius</i> Genus of cyprinid fishes

Enteromius is a genus of small to medium-sized cyprinid fish native to tropical Africa. Most species were placed in the genus Barbus.

Pierre Brichard was a Belgian explorer and collector-exporter of African aquarium fishes, especially those of Lake Tanganyika.

References

  1. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Mastacembelus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Vreven, E. J. (2005). "Mastacembelidae (Teleostei; Synbranchiformes) subfamily division and African generic division: an evaluation". Journal of Natural History . 39 (4): 351–370. Bibcode:2005JNatH..39..351V. doi:10.1080/0022293042000195975. S2CID   85280659.
  3. ↑ "Afromastacembelus". research.calacademy.org. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Mastacembelus". FishBase . April 2018 version.
  5. 1 2 3 Elizabeth Alter, S.; Brown, B.; Stiassny, M.L.J. (2015). "Molecular phylogenetics reveals convergent evolution in lower Congo River spiny eels". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 15 (1): 224. Bibcode:2015BMCEE..15..224A. doi: 10.1186/s12862-015-0507-x . PMC   4608218 . PMID   26472465.
  6. 1 2 3 Brown; Rüber; Bills; Day (2010). "Mastacembelid eels support Lake Tanganyika as an evolutionary hotspot of diversification". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 10 (1): 188. Bibcode:2010BMCEE..10..188B. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-188 . PMC   2903574 . PMID   20565906.
  7. 1 2 3 Brown; Britz; Bills; Rüber; Day (2011). "Pectoral fin loss in the Mastacembelidae: a new species from Lake Tanganyika". Journal of Zoology. 284 (4): 286–293. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00804.x.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Fernado, M.; Kotagama, O. & de Alwis Goonatilake, S. (2019). "Mastacembelus armatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T166586A60592409. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T166586A60592409.en . Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 "Mastacembelus erythrotaenia (Fire Eel)". Seriously Fish. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  10. ↑ Schliewen, U. (1992). Aquarium Fish. Barron's Educational Series. ISBN   978-0812013504.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Eschmeyer, W.N.; R. Fricke; R. van der Laan (14 May 2018). "Catalog of Fishes". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
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