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💧 Freshwater Vulnerable 🌡️ Tropical

Gollum snakehead

Aenigmachanna gollum Britz, Anoop, Dahanukar & Raghavan, 2019
Max Length
12.7 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.4
Depth
-
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
-
Vulnerability
10.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
-

📖 Overview

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 .

Scientific Name
Aenigmachanna gollum
Authority
Britz, Anoop, Dahanukar & Raghavan, 2019
Habitat
Freshwater
Climate
Tropical
IUCN Status
VU
Max Length
12.7 cm
Trophic Level
3.4
Vulnerability
10.00/100
Salinity
0–0.5 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

Genus
Aenigmachanna
Aenigmachanna
Species
Gollum snakehead
Aenigmachanna gollum

🐟 Physical Description

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.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Gollum snakehead is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous
Spawning Season
spring
Spawn Location
Substrate
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
💧 Freshwater
Trophic Level
3.4±0.5

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00389 × L3.12 (TL)
Max TL
12.7cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
0–0.5ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Vulnerable
Assessment Date
2020

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Fishing Vulnerability
10.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.4
Predator
Climate Zone
Tropical
Described By
Britz, Anoop, Dahanukar & Raghavan, 2019

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