Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) > Notopteridae (Featherbacks or knifefishes) > Notopterinae
Etymology: Chitala: Bangladesh local name.
More on author: Gray.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; pelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical; 24°C - 28°C

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Asia: Mekong basin in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam; Chao Phraya and Meklong basins.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 100.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30857); max. published weight: 5.0 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Distinguished from other members of the family by the presence of a row of large ocellated spots above the base of the anal fin (Ref. 27732). Differs from C. chitala in lacking silver or gold transverse streaks on dorsum and from C. blanci and C. lopis in lacking a basal pectoral spot (Ref. 7431).

Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Inhabits flowing waters of large and medium-sized rivers (Ref. 12693). Within the Mekong mainstream, it occurs in pools (Ref. 37770). Found in the basin-wide mainstream of the lower Mekong (Ref. 36667). A predator on surface-feeding fishes, crustaceans and insects, with a crepuscular or nocturnal activity pattern. Moves into inundated forest during the high water period from June to October. Individuals from the Great Lake are shipped to markets in Thailand (Ref. 12693).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Male guards the eggs (Ref. 12693).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Rainboth, W.J., 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 p. (Ref. 12693)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 16 March 2010

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
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Predators

Ecology
Ecology

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Length-weight rel.
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Life cycle
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Maturity/Gills rel.
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Distribution
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Anatomy
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Genetics
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Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5166 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00468 (0.00206 - 0.01063), b=3.06 (2.86 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.7 ±0.57 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High to very high vulnerability (73 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Chitala ornata (Gray, 1831)