Aenigmachanna gollum Britz, Anoop, Dahanukar & Raghavan, 2019
Gollum snakehead

Family:  Aenigmachannidae (Gollum snakehead fishes)
Max. size:  9.02 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: India.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished from species of Channa and Parachanna by the following unique characters among channids: very slender with maximum body depth only 11.1-11.3% SL; eel-like body with head length only 20.8-21.6% SL; a large mouth with jaw length 60.4-61.1 % HL; A 43-44; absence of a body lateral line with pored scales; scales in a lateral series 83-85; colour pattern and absence of buoyancy; differs from other channids by having 64 vertebrae, D 56-57, and absence of pelvic fins (Ref. 120401).
Biology:  Collected from a paddy field (Ref. 120401).
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 28 February 2020 (B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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