GBIF Taxonomic Backbone & Wikipedia Registry Profile
Description. For general appearance, see Figs. 1 – 3. Morphometric data are presented in Table 1. A dwarf Channa (110 – 130 mm SL) of the C. gachua - species group (sensu Britz, 2008). Body elongate, round in cross section anteriorly up to origin of anal fin, progressively compressed towards caudal peduncle; body depth 5.4 – 7.1 times in SL. Head large, 3.2 – 3.5 times in SL, convex in dorsal view. Head widest between posterior margins of eye and the opercle. Eye small, its diameter less than snout length. Mouth large, maxilla extending beyond posterior margin of eye. Both jaws with small sharp teeth. Premaxilla with 4 – 5 rows of minute, conical, recurved teeth. Vomer with two pairs of stout caniniform teeth. Dentary with two rows of teeth, inner row with 20 medium-sized to large, stout, pointed, conical teeth; outer row with medium-sized, villiform teeth terminating in three rows at jaw symphysis. Palatine with two rows of teeth, inner row with stout, recurved, conical teeth, outer row with small, conical teeth. Fifth ceratobranchial with two rows of teeth, outer row with 16 stout, pointed teeth, inner row with numerous, minute, conical teeth. Dorsal-fin rays 35 (3), 36 * (6), 37 (1); anal-fin rays 24 * (10); pectoral-fin rays 14 * (7), 15 (3); principal caudalfin rays 13 (10); pelvic fin absent. Lateral-line scales 43 (2), 44 * (3), 45 (3), 46 (2), extending horizontally from cleithral region, dropping one scale row at scale 12 * (2), 13 (4), 14 (3), 15 (1), then continuing horizontally to the caudal peduncle. Transverse scales 4 ½ * (9) – 5 ½ (1) + 1 + 5 ½ * (1) – 6 ½ (9). Pre-dorsal scales 7 (2), 8 * (5), 9 (3). Pre-anal scales 22 * (2), 24 (4), 25 (2), 26 (2). Cheek scales 6 * (10). Vertebrae 43. Coloration. In life (Figs 2, 4 A), body uniformly brown with dark-brown oblique markings on upper half. Head and cheek brown, with dark-brown or red scales forming irregular patches. Lips light-brown anteriorly, tinged with blue towards angle of gape. A bluish patch beneath the eye. Opercular membrane bluish. Dorsal fin ochre to brown, with bright orange to ochre distal margin, followed by wavy brown and ochre patterned sub-margin. Anal fin membrane bluish with black rays, distal margin black with pale-grey rim. Pectoral fin bright orange to ochre, with 4 to 6 broad, black semi-circular bands, sometimes coalesced to form an irregular pattern. Pectoral fin interspace broader than black semi-circular bands. Caudal fin brown, bordered with bright orange to ochre distal margin, followed by brown sub-margin; three to four ochre blotches sometimes coalescing to form a broad transverse band. Well-conditioned adult aquarium specimens with evenly dark brown body, sometimes with dark-brown scales scattered on lateral body; cheek with patches of red scales (Fig. 4 A). In ethanol (Fig. 1), body uniformly dark grey; cheek and opercular area grey, becoming lighter towards throat with marbled grey and whitish-cream reticulated pattern. Branchiostegal membrane dark grey, isthmus and the ventral region grey. Pectoral fin grey, with 4 – 6 black semi-circular bands similar to live specimens. Dorsal, anal and caudal fin dark grey with ochre and orange blotches replaced by creamy white.
