The snakeheads are members of the
freshwater perciform
Perciformes (), also called the Percomorpha or Acanthopteri, is an order or superorder of ray-finned fish. If considered a single order, they are the most numerous order of vertebrates, containing about 41% of all bony fish. Perciformes means " ...
fish family Channidae, native to parts of Africa and Asia. These elongated,
predatory fish
Predatory fish are hypercarnivorous fish that actively prey upon other fish or aquatic animals, with examples including shark, billfish, barracuda, pike/muskellunge, walleye, perch and salmon. Some omnivorous fish, such as the red-bellied piranh ...
are distinguished by their long
dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through c ...
s, large mouths, and shiny teeth. They breathe air with gills, which allows them to migrate short distances over land. They have
suprabranchial organs, which are primitive forms of
labyrinth organ
The Anabantoidei are a suborder of anabantiform ray-finned freshwater fish distinguished by their possession of a lung-like labyrinth organ, which enables them to breathe air. The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or lab ...
s, that develop when they grow older. The two
extant genera are ''
Channa'' in Asia and ''
Parachanna'' in Africa, consisting of more than 50 species.
They are valuable as a food source and have become notorious as an intentionally released
invasive species. These fish have been kept as pets but as they get larger, people let them go into ponds, lakes, and rivers, making these fish invasive.
Description
The various
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of snakeheads differ greatly in size;
dwarf snakeheads
Dwarf snakehead is a term coined by aquarists to describe a group of ''Channa'' snakehead fishes growing to about maximum. They are found in freshwater habitats (often streams) in South and Southeast Asia, and southern China.Endruweit, M. (2017). ...
, such as ''
Channa orientalis
The Ceylon snakehead (''Channa orientalis'') is a species of snakehead found in freshwater habitats, typically shaded streams, in southwestern Sri Lanka (although occasionally claimed to occur in other countries, this is misidentifications of r ...
'', do not surpass in length. Most other snakeheads reach between . Five species (''
C. argus'', ''
C. barca'', ''
C. marulius'', ''
C. micropeltes'', and ''
C. striata'') can reach or more.
Snakeheads are thrust-feeders that consume
plankton
Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in water (or air) that are unable to propel themselves against a current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankters. In the ocean, they provide a crucia ...
,
aquatic insects, and
mollusk
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...
s when small. As adults, they mostly feed on other fish (such as
carp) or on frogs. In rare cases, small rodents such as rats are eaten.
History
The Channidae are well represented in the fossil record and known from numerous specimens. They likely originated in the south Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent (modern-day northern India and eastern Pakistan) at least 50 million years ago (Mya), during the
Early Eocene epoch. Two of the earliest known species, ''
Eochanna chorlakkiensis
''Eochanna chorlakkiensis'' is an extinct prehistoric snakehead. The fish lived in the Lutetian age of the Middle Eocene (41-48 million years ago) in the area of what is now the Kuldana Formation near Chorlakki, Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur ...
'' and ''Anchichanna kuldanensis'' , have both been found in the
Middle Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', "da ...
of Pakistan.
By 17 Mya, during the
Early Miocene
The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages: the Aquitanian age, Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages.
The sub-epoch lasted from 23.03 ± 0.05 annum, Ma to ...
, Channidae had spread into western and central Eurasia, and by 8 Mya, during the late
Tortonian
The Tortonian is in the geologic time scale an age or stage of the late Miocene that spans the time between 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma and 7.246 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago). It follows the Serravallian and is followed by the Messinian.
The Torto ...
, they existed throughout Africa and East Asia.
As Channidae are adapted to climates of high precipitation with mean temperatures of 20 °C (68 °F), their migrations into Europe and Asia correspond to the development of the
Intertropical Convergence Zone, which increased air humidity, and the intensification of the
East Asian monsoon. Both weather patterns emerged due to greater vertical growth of the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
,
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
, and
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
, which affected Eurasian climatic patterns.
Ecological concerns
Snakeheads can become invasive species and cause
ecological damage because, in many areas to which they are not native, the absence of natural enemies makes them an
apex predator
An apex predator, also known as a top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain, without natural predators of its own.
Apex predators are usually defined in terms of trophic dynamics, meaning that they occupy the highest trophic lev ...
. Not only can they breathe air, but they can also survive on land for up to 4 days, provided they are wet, and are known to migrate up to 400 m (1/4 mi) on wet land to other bodies of water by wriggling with their bodies and fins.
''National Geographic'' has referred to snakeheads as "fishzilla"
and the
National Geographic Channel reported the "northern snakehead reaches sexual maturity by age two or three. Each spawning-age female can release up to 15,000 eggs at once. Snakeheads can mate as often as five times a year. This means in just two years, a single female can release up to 150,000 eggs."
[ Video clip titled: "The Northern Snakehead fish wreaks havoc".]
"Since 2002, it has been illegal to possess a live snakehead in many US states, where they are considered a destructive invasive species."
Virginia has criminalized the "introduction" of snakeheads into the state without specific authorization, although the relevant statute does not explain whether mere importation is sufficient to constitute "introduction into the Commonwealth" or whether instead release into the environment is required.
Intentional introductions
Humans have been introducing snakeheads to nonindigenous waters for over 100 years. In parts of Asia and Africa, the snakehead is considered a valuable food fish since the flesh is very tender, and is produced in
aquacultures (fisheries motivation) or by accidental release (as was the case in
Crofton, Maryland
Crofton is a census-designated place and planned community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, located west of the state capital Annapolis, south of Baltimore, and east-northeast of Washington, D.C. The community was established ...
). Examples of the introduction of snakeheads to nonindigenous waters include:
* ''
Channa maculata'' was introduced to Madagascar and to Hawaii around the end of the 19th century. It can still be found there today.
* ''
Channa striata
''Channa striata'', the striped snakehead, is a species of snakehead fish. It is also known as the common snakehead, chevron snakehead, or snakehead murrel and generally referred simply as mudfish. It is native to South and Southeast Asia, and h ...
'' was introduced to islands east of the
Wallace line
The Wallace Line or Wallace's Line is a faunal boundary line drawn in 1859 by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace and named by English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley that separates the biogeographical realms of Asia and Wallacea, a trans ...
by governmental programs in the latter half of the 20th century. In Fiji, the introduction failed.
* ''
Channa asiatica'', which is native to southern China, was introduced to Taiwan and southern Japan; the origin of and reason for the introduction are unknown.
* ''
Channa argus
The northern snakehead (''Channa argus'') is a species of snakehead fish native to China, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea, ranging from the Amur River to Hainan. It has been introduced to other regions, where it is considered invasive. In ...
'', which is native to northern China's
Amur River, was introduced to central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). It was introduced from the
Korean Peninsula
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
to Japan about 100 years ago due to fisheries' motivations. Its introduction to Czechoslovakia by its government in the 1960s failed.
Reported sightings
In the United States
Snakeheads became a national news topic in the United States because of the appearance of ''C. argus'', commonly known as
northern snakehead
The northern snakehead (''Channa argus'') is a species of snakehead fish native to China, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea, ranging from the Amur River to Hainan. It has been introduced to other regions, where it is considered invasive. In ...
s, spawning in a Crofton, Maryland, pond in 2002.
[Courtenay, Jr., Walter R. and James D. Williams]
USGS Circular 1251: Snakeheads (Pisces, Chinnidae) - A Biological Synopsis and Risk Assessment. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
2004-04-01. Retrieved 2021-07-05. Northern snakeheads became permanently established in the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augu ...
around 2004;
[Potomac snakeheads not related to others](_blank)
Associated Press, ''Baltimore Sun'', 27 April 2007. and possibly established in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
.
In about of river, the population has surpassed 21,000 individuals.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, snakeheads have also been spotted in
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
, Florida,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
,
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
, Maryland,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, and
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...
.
["History of introduction in the United States: Four species of snakeheads (''Channa argus, C. marulius, C. micropeltes,'' and'' C. striata'') have been recorded from open waters of the United States (California, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island), and two have become established as reproducing populations.]
Injurious Wildlife Species; Snakeheads
Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 17 February 2008. Snakeheads have also been spotted in
New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
according to the state's Department of Environmental Conservation. Snakeheads have been caught in New Jersey since at least 2008 and according to the New Jersey Department of environmental protection the snakehead population appears to be growing and expanding its distribution. Due to the extensive and habitat and sheer size of the Delaware River complete eradication of the species does not appear to be feasible.
World record
According to the
International Game Fish Association
The International Game Fish Association (''IGFA'') is the leading authority on angling pursuits and the keeper of the most current World Record fishing catches by fish categories. Fishermen who are sport fishers are careful to follow their string ...
, Caleb Newton, a
Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Spotsylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the July 2021 estimate, the population was 143,676. Its county seat is Spotsylvania Courthouse.
History
At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that b ...
, resident, caught a world-record northern snakehead at the junction of
Aquia Creek and the Potomac River, United States, on June 1, 2013. The previous record,, had been caught in 2004, in
Miki, Kagawa
is a town located in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 26,449 in 10963 households and a population density of 270 persons per km². The total area of the town is .
Geography
Miki is located in eastern Kagawa ...
, Japan.
As food
Snakeheads are valuable
food fish. Called ''nga yant'' in Burmese and in Manipur
eiteilonas ''porom'', they are prized fish eaten in a variety of ways. In Vietnam, they are called ''cá lóc'', ''cá quả'', or ''cá chuối'', and are prized in clay-pot, steamed, and pickled preparations. Larger species, such as ''C. striata'', ''C. maculata'', and ''
Parachanna obscura'', are farmed in
aquaculture. In the United States, chefs have suggested controlling the snakehead invasion by serving them in restaurants.
In Indonesia, snakehead fish, called ''ikan gabus'', are served as the main parts of traditional dishes such as the
Betawi people Betawi may refer to:
* Betawi people
* Betawi language
* Betawi cuisine
*Betawi mask dance
See also
* Batavia (disambiguation)
* Batavi (disambiguation)
Batavi may refer to:
*Batavi (Germanic tribe)
**Revolt of the Batavi
*Batavi (military unit)
* ...
's ''pucung gabus'', and considered to be a delicacy due to their rarity in the wild and in aquaculture, as they are harder to raise than other popular
freshwater fish such as catfish and carp.
Classification
The snakeheads comprise three
extant genera:
* ''
Channa''
Scopoli
Giovanni Antonio Scopoli (sometimes Latinized as Johannes Antonius Scopolius) (3 June 1723 – 8 May 1788) was an Italian physician and naturalist. His biographer Otto Guglia named him the "first anational European" and the "Linnaeus of the Au ...
, 1777 (49 species native to Asia)
* ''
Parachanna''
Teugels & Daget 1984 (three extant species, one fossil species, all native to Africa)
Two other genera are only known from fossils:
*
†''
Anchichanna''
Murray & Thewissen, 2008 (one species)
* †''
Eochanna''
Roe, 1991 (one species)
The genus ''
Aenigmachanna
''Aenigmachanna'' is a genus of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish in the Order (biology), order Anabantiformes, Ananbantiformes. It is the only genus in the family Aenigmachannidae, or dragon snakeheads. It contains two species, both of which are ...
'' was initially classified in Channidae upon its discovery, but analysis supports it being reclassified into its own family
Aenigmachannidae
''Aenigmachanna'' is a genus of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish in the Order (biology), order Anabantiformes, Ananbantiformes. It is the only genus in the family Aenigmachannidae, or dragon snakeheads. It contains two species, both of which are ...
.
In popular culture
After its release in non-native North American waters, either accidentally or intentionally, the aggressive and predator-free snakehead's reputation as a "Frankenfish"
or "monster fish" has become part of popular culture. Besides mentions on TV shows such as ''
The Sopranos
''The Sopranos'' is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying his difficulties as he tries to balance ...
and
The Office'' and ''
CSI:NY'' episode "Sangre por Sangre" and
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...
episode "A Fish Called Snakehead", the snakehead has been featured in three
Sci-fi Channel original pictures entitled ''
Snakehead Terror'', ''
Frankenfish'', and ''
Swarm of the Snakehead''. In the
Animal Planet
Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1, 1996, the network is primarily ...
TV series ''
River Monsters
''River Monsters'' is a British and United States, American wildlife Documentary film, documentary Television show, television programme produced for Animal Planet by Icon Films of Bristol, United Kingdom. It is hosted by extreme Angling, ang ...
'',
Jeremy Wade shows a dramatization of a snakehead, "the fish from hell", stalking an unsuspecting baby and a
Chihuahua. With the help of a snakehead researcher, however, Wade shows that although it is capable of living outside of water and is able to move on land, its weak pectoral muscles make movement difficult and render the snakehead an unlikely "stalker" on land.
In
Bless the Harts, the snakefish was shown as a wanted fish in North Carolina on the tenth episode of its second season. Wayne becomes affected by the slime from the snakefish and began hallucinating.
See also
*
Amphibious fish
*
Bowfin
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Snakeheads—A Biological Synopsis and Risk Assessmentpublished by the
U.S. Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and ...
About.com's article on Snakeheadssnakeheads.orgworld's largest website for snakeheads
{{Taxonbar, from=Q503788
Freshwater fish of China
Fish of Indonesia
Freshwater fish of Taiwan
Fish of Central Asia
Extant Eocene first appearances
Taxa named by Henry Weed Fowler