Animalia Life

Channa pleurophthalmus
FAMILY
Channidae
TAXONOMY
Ophicephalus pleurophthalmus Bleeker, 1851, Bandjermassing.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
Indonesian: Kerandang.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Total length 15.7 in (40 cm). Body is distinctively compressed laterally and quite deep compared to other snakeheads, has moderately large scales (LL= 49–55), large canine-like teeth on the upper and lower jaw, and patch of small scales near the tip of the underside of the lower jaw. Body grayish with scattered small black spots and several orange or orangey red-rimmed black ocelli, yellowish black to gray pectoral fins, and a single ocellus on the gill cover and middle of the caudal fin.
DISTRIBUTION
Islands of Sumatra and Borneo (western and southern portions), Indonesia.
HABITAT
Usually lowland, slow-moving murky rivers.
BEHAVIOR
Not known to be capable of terrestrial movement.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Nothing known; presumed to be a predator, feeding on fishes and other small aquatic animals.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Nothing known, but like other medium-to-large snakeheads, is probably a bubble nest builder.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Marketed as a food fish within its
DISTRIBUTION
, also quite popular as an aquarium fish.

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