Striped Eel Catfish

Description

Plotosus lineatus can reach a maximum length of 32 cm (13 in). The body is brown with cream-colored or white longitudinal bands. The most striking feature of this species is in the fins, in fact the second dorsal, caudal and anal are fused together as in eels. In the rest of the body is quite similar to a freshwater catfish: the mouth is surrounded by four pairs of barbels, four on the upper jaw and four on the lower jaw. The first dorsal and each of the pectoral fins have a highly venomous spine. They may even be fatal.

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan, southern Korea, and the Ogasawara Islands, south to Australia and Lord Howe Island. Palau and Yap in Micronesia. Sometimes enters freshwaters of East Africa (Lake Malawi) and Madagascar.

Habitat and Biology

P. lineatus is found in coral reefs; it is also found in estuaries, tide pools and open coasts. Juveniles of Plotosus lineatus form dense ball-shaped schools of about 100 fish, while adults are solitary or occur in smaller groups of around 20 and are known to hide under ledges during the day. Adult P. lineatus search and stir the sand incessantly for crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and sometimes fish. It is an oviparous fish. This species has demersal eggs and planktonic larvae. This species has evolved long ampullary canals in its electrosensory organs (originally termed "ampullae of Lorenzini").

The eeltail catfish are a family (Plotosidae) of catfish whose tails are elongated in an eel-like fashion. These catfishes are native to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific from Japan to Australia and Fiji. The family includes about 35 species in 10 genera. Wikipedia lists 41 species. About half of the species are freshwater, occurring in Australia and New Guinea.

These fish have eel-like bodies. Their tails are pointed or bluntly rounded. Most species have four pairs of barbels. The adipose fin is absent. The tail fin is formed by the joining of the second dorsal fin, the caudal fin, and the anal fin, forming a single, continuous fin.

Some of these catfishes can inflict painful wounds; stings from Plotosus lineatus may result in death. They are bottom feeders and use the barbels around their mouths to detect food.