Macrognathus lineatomaculatus Britz, 2010

Family:  Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Max. size:  18.43 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Jorai River in India and Rapti River basin in Nepal
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 19-22; Dorsal soft rays (total): 50-57; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 47-54; Vertebrae: 74-76. Belongs to the member of the Macrognathus aculeatus group but distinguished from all other species of the this group by the following combination of characters: 15-17 rostral tooth plates; 19-22 dorsal-fin spines; and large (eye size) black blotches along dorsal fin. Differs from its other Indian congeners of the Macrognathus aculeatus group as follows: from Macrognathus aral, Macrognathus pentophthalmos and Macrognathus morehensis by the presence of dorsal fin blotches (vs. white rimmed dorsal fin ocelli), from Macrognathus aral and Macrognathus pentophthalmos by having 15-17 rostral tooth plates (vs. 19-27); and also from Macrognathus pentophthalmos and Macrognathus morehensis by having 19-22 dorsal-fin spines (vs. 11-16) and from Macrognathus morehensis by having 15-17 rostral plates (vs. 8-11) (Ref. 83418).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 22 March 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Known from the Rapti River basin (Ref. 83418).


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.