Clown knifefish (Chitala chitala) fish species and information / pictures of Clown knifefish - Chitala chitala

Clown knifefish (Chitala chitala) fish species information

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Scientific Name
Chitala chitala

Common Name
Clown knifefish

Biology
Dorsal spines : 0; Dorsal soft rays : 9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 117 - 127. The only species in which subadults and adults have a series of transverse gold or silver bars on the dorsum, but this color feature is not always present. Differs from C. ornata in never having ocellated spots and from C. blanci and C. lopis in never having a black spot on the pectoral fin base.

Classification

Classified By

Hamilton, 1822

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Bony tongues (Osteoglossiformes)

Family

Featherbacks or knifefishes (Notopteridae)

Distribution

Region

Asia

Distribution

Asia: Indus, Ganges-Brahmaputra and Mahanadi river basins in India. No valid records from Irrawaddy, Salween or other river basins of Myanmar. Reports of Chitala chitala from Thailand and Indo-China were based on Chitala ornata and those from Malaysia and Indonesia on Chitala lopis.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; ; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19 demersal

Trophic Level

3.73 s.e. 0.59 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

122 cm

Common Length

75.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5166 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (71 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Near Threatened (NT)