Barca snakehead | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anabantiformes |
Family: | Channidae |
Genus: | Channa |
Species: | C. barca
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Binomial name | |
Channa barca (
F. Hamilton, 1822)
| |
Synonyms [2] | |
|
The Barca snakehead (Channa barca) is a rare species of snakehead. It is endemic to the upper Brahmaputra River basin in northeastern India and Bangladesh. [2] [3] Records from Nepal are of doubtful validity. [1] Overall it has been assessed as data deficient by the IUCN, [1] and in 2014 it was assessed as critically endangered in Bangladesh by the IUCN. [3] In Assam, it is locally known as cheng garaka or garaka cheng.
This is a relatively large snakehead, reaching a total length of up to 105 cm (3.4 ft). [2] The species is regarded as an excellent food fish, [2] and it is also highly desired by aquarists, but its rarity, behavior and large size makes it unsuitable for most aquariums. [4]
The barca snakehead is only known from the upper Brahmaputra River basin the Assam and Nagaland in India, [1] and Sylhet in Bangladesh. [3] Records from Nepal are of doubtful validity. [1] It mostly inhabits wetlands, often near the margins, but can also be seen in riverine habitats. [5] [6] It is able to withstand large variations in water temperature and oxygen levels as its habitat experiences large seasonal changes in flood levels. [5] It often inhabits a vertical tunnel that typically is around one metre (3.3 ft) long and goes down to the water table. The tunnel ends in a chamber where the fish may spend the dry season when the wetlands above it disappear. [4] Some other snakeheads that inhabit the same general region as the barca snakehead have also been reported to " hibernate" during the dry season, including the closely related orange-spotted snakehead (C. aurantimaculata). [7] The overall conservation status of the barca snakehead is poorly known, but it appears to generally be a scarce or rare species. [1] [4]
The species is highly carnivorous, [8] feeding mostly on fish. [5] Little is known about the breeding behavior, but like its nearest relatives it is likely a mouthbrooder. [4] Maturity may occur when only 12.5 cm (5 in) long, but most individuals are around two or three times that size before they reach it. [5] The breeding season is prolonged and begins when the beels they inhabit are flooded by pre- monsoonal rain in April–May. The species has a low fecundity and both parents take care of the young. [5]
Barca snakehead | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anabantiformes |
Family: | Channidae |
Genus: | Channa |
Species: | C. barca
|
Binomial name | |
Channa barca (
F. Hamilton, 1822)
| |
Synonyms [2] | |
|
The Barca snakehead (Channa barca) is a rare species of snakehead. It is endemic to the upper Brahmaputra River basin in northeastern India and Bangladesh. [2] [3] Records from Nepal are of doubtful validity. [1] Overall it has been assessed as data deficient by the IUCN, [1] and in 2014 it was assessed as critically endangered in Bangladesh by the IUCN. [3] In Assam, it is locally known as cheng garaka or garaka cheng.
This is a relatively large snakehead, reaching a total length of up to 105 cm (3.4 ft). [2] The species is regarded as an excellent food fish, [2] and it is also highly desired by aquarists, but its rarity, behavior and large size makes it unsuitable for most aquariums. [4]
The barca snakehead is only known from the upper Brahmaputra River basin the Assam and Nagaland in India, [1] and Sylhet in Bangladesh. [3] Records from Nepal are of doubtful validity. [1] It mostly inhabits wetlands, often near the margins, but can also be seen in riverine habitats. [5] [6] It is able to withstand large variations in water temperature and oxygen levels as its habitat experiences large seasonal changes in flood levels. [5] It often inhabits a vertical tunnel that typically is around one metre (3.3 ft) long and goes down to the water table. The tunnel ends in a chamber where the fish may spend the dry season when the wetlands above it disappear. [4] Some other snakeheads that inhabit the same general region as the barca snakehead have also been reported to " hibernate" during the dry season, including the closely related orange-spotted snakehead (C. aurantimaculata). [7] The overall conservation status of the barca snakehead is poorly known, but it appears to generally be a scarce or rare species. [1] [4]
The species is highly carnivorous, [8] feeding mostly on fish. [5] Little is known about the breeding behavior, but like its nearest relatives it is likely a mouthbrooder. [4] Maturity may occur when only 12.5 cm (5 in) long, but most individuals are around two or three times that size before they reach it. [5] The breeding season is prolonged and begins when the beels they inhabit are flooded by pre- monsoonal rain in April–May. The species has a low fecundity and both parents take care of the young. [5]