Macrognathus zebrinus

Macrognathus zebrinus, the zebra spiny eel,[3] 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.

Macrognathus zebrinus
1889 photo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Synbranchiformes
Family: Mastacembelidae
Genus: Macrognathus
Species:
M. zebrinus
Binomial name
Macrognathus zebrinus
(Blyth, 1858)
Synonyms[2]

Mastacembelus zebrinus Blyth, 1858

It is pale brown with deeper color in the back and dusky stripes throughout the body (this is more distinct with the young)[4] and has scales on its snout. In 1888, pioneer ichthyologist Francis Day once noted that he thought Macrognathus pancalus (although smaller) and M. zebrinus were one species; he also described it as yellow with vertical blue stripes with striped and spotted fins.[5]

It has also been introduced to Singapore and is now an established species, known from four reservoirs Kranji, Lower Peirce, Lower Seletar and Tengeh.[6] It is active at twilight and night and is predatory, feeding on mosquito larvae, earthworms, Tubifex, small crustaceans and other fishes.[3] It is fished as part of mixed catch and is also collected as an ornamental fish. Although it is not well known, it is listed as Least Concern and protection and research is needed.

References
  1. Vishwanath, W. (2010). "Macrognathus zebrinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T168432A6491139. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T168432A6491139.en.
  2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Macrognathus zebrinus" in FishBase. August 2019 version.
  3. Hans A. Baensch, Rüdiger Riehl (1998). Aquarium Atlas, Volume 3. Steven Simpson Books. p. 1010. ISBN 3882440538. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  4. Albert Carl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther (1861). Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum: Acanthopterygian fishes: Gobiidœ to Notacanthi. 1861. British Museum. p. 541. Retrieved June 10, 2015. Macrognathus zebrinus.
  5. Francis Day (1888). The Fishes of India: Being a Natural History of the Fishes Known to Inhabit the Seas and Fresh Waters of India, Burma, and Ceylon, Volume 1. Francis Day (self-published). pp. 339–340. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  6. Ng, Heok HEE (2010). "The Zebra Spiny Eel (Macrognathus Zebrinus) — A Non-Native Species in Singapore (Synbranchiformes: Mastacembelidae)". Cosmos. 06: 91–93. doi:10.1142/S0219607710000449.
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