The fish collected from Malappuram was in a paddy field . The fish collected from Peringara was found, at the height of summer, with the water surface in the well was at a depth of about 5 metres below the ground surface; it came to light when the water in the well, normally clear, suddenly turned muddy and the well was drained to facilitate cleaning. Peringara is situated in a large natural wetland that abuts the Kuttanad lowlands, kniwn as ‘the rice bowl’ of Kerala .
This species is distinguished from species of Channa and Parachanna by the following unique characters among channids: very slender with maximum body depth only 11.1-11.3% SL; eel-like body with head length only 20.8-21.6% SL; a large mouth with jaw length 60.4-61.1 % HL; A 43-44; absence of a body lateral line with pored scales; scales in a lateral series 83-85; colour pattern and absence of buoyancy; differs from other channids by having 64 vertebrae, D 56-57, and absence of pelvic fins .Cross section: circular.
Behavioural data for Gollum snakehead is currently being reviewed.
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
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