''Monopterus'' is a genus of

swamp eel The swamp eels (also written "swamp-eels") are a family (biology), family (Synbranchidae) of freshwater eel-like fishes of the tropics and subtropics. Most species are able to breathe air and typically live in marshes, ponds and damp places, som ...

s native to Asia. They live in various freshwater habitats and some have a

fossorial A fossorial animal () is one that is adapted to digging and which lives primarily (but not solely) underground. Examples of fossorial vertebrates are Mole (animal), moles, badgers, naked mole-rats, meerkats, armadillos, wombats, and mole salamand ...

lifestyle.Britz, R., Doherty-Bone, T.M., Kouete, M.T., Sykes, D. & Gower, D.J. (2016)
''Monopterus luticolus'', a new species of swamp eel from Cameroon (Teleostei: Synbranchidae).
''Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 27 (4): 309-323.''

Species

Four recognized species are placed in this genus: * '' M. albus'' ( Zuiew, 1793) (Asian swamp eel) * ''M. bicolor'' H. D. Nguyễn & V. H. Nguyễn, 2005 * ''M. dienbienensis'' V. H. Nguyễn & H. D. Nguyễn, 2005 * ''M. javanensis'' Lacépède, 1800 Six species from

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

(''M. cuchia'', '' M. desilvai'', ''M. hodgarti'', ''M. fossorius'', ''M. ichthyophoides'', and '' M. indicus'') have been reclassified to the genus ''

Ophichthys ''Ophichthys'' is a genus of swamp eels native to South Asia. They live in Fresh water, freshwater or Subterranean fauna, subterranean habitats, and some have a fossorial lifestyle. Taxonomy All species in this genus were formerly classified ...

''. Four

subterranean Subterranean(s) or The Subterranean(s) may refer to: * Subterranea (geography), underground structures, both natural and man-made Literature * ''Subterranean'' (novel), a 1998 novel by James Rollins * ''Subterranean Magazine'', an American fa ...

species (''M. digressus'', '' M. eapeni'', '' M. rongsaw'', and ''M. roseni'') from

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

have been reclassified to the genus ''

Rakthamichthys ''Rakthamichthys'' is a genus of swamp eels that are endemic to India. Three species are known from the Western Ghats and one is known from Northeast India. All species live underground, with one species (''R. rongsaw'') having a fossorial life ...

''. Two species from

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

('' M. boueti'' and ''M. luticolus'') have been reclassified to the genus ''

Typhlosynbranchus ''Typhlosynbranchus'' is a genus of swamp eels that are native to West and Central Africa. It contains two species that were formerly classified in the primarily Asian genus ''Monopterus.'' Taxonomy The genus was originally formed by Jacques P ...

''.

References

Freshwater fish genera Synbranchidae Taxa named by Bernard Germain de Lacépède Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Synbranchiformes-stub