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Channa punctata, the spotted snakehead, is a species of snakehead. It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and nearby areas, ranging across Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Tibet.[2] Its natural habitats are swamps, ponds and brackish water systems.[2] It is a fish of high food value and has little value as aquarium fish.

Spotted snakehead
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anabantiformes
Family:	Channidae
Genus:	Channa
Species:	C. punctata
Binomial name
Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
Synonyms[2]
Ophicephalus punctatus Bloch, 1793 Ophicephalus karruwey Lacépède, 1801 Ophiocephalus lata Hamilton, 1822 Ophicephalus indicus McClelland, 1842 Ophiocephalus affinis Günther, 1861

Description

Channa punctatus normally grows to around 15.0 cm (5.9 in) in length, but males up to 31.0 cm (12.2 in) have also been captured.[2] The spotted snakehead is listed as Least Concern in IUCN, due to lack of major threats to this species populations.[1]

The species is mainly a carnivore. Favorite food of this species is other small fishes yolk flies and fish larvae. In its natural habitat, it consumes crustaceans, molluscs, insects, small fishes, semi-digested materials and sometimes plants. Its feeding habit changes seasonally. The intensity of feeding is low in mature fishes during the spawning period. Juvenile fish has constant habit of food.[3]

References

External links

• "Channa punctata". fl.biology.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
• "Spotted snakehead - Channa punctata". aquaticcommunity.com. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
• "Biodiversity of Sri Lanka: Freshwater Fish diversity of Sri Lanka". biodiversityofsrilanka.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-02-05.

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