Chitala ornata (Gray, 1831)
Species overview
Knifefish of typical body shape, but with a row of 6-10 ocellated spots above anal fin, beginning below the dorsal fin.
Size observed: May grow up to 1 m and 5-6 kg.
Taxonomic description
-Body strongly laterlly compressed, greatest depth somewhat behind origin of anal fin. Upper profile od head strongly concave, underside of head and outline of back strongly convex, outline out belly convex.
-Mouth terminal, its edge reaches far behind posterior rim of eye.
-Preopercle with scales of same size as scales of body, opercular cleft long, round.
-Origin of pectoral fin at level of edge of mouth, no black spot at the base, the fin reaching a little beyond origin of anal fin.
-Pelvic fin small.
-Dorsal fin present, its base short.
-Anal fin very long, 121-126 fin-rays, merging in caudal fin, 15 fin-rays, without conspicuous border, with longest fin-rays at its last third. 78-84 vertebrae.
Most reliable character as in the other species of Chitala is the coloration, in particular the row of 6-10 ocellated spots, see below.
-Coloration, greyish to olivaceous with lighter flanks, posterior part of body with six to ten large ocellated spots with a dark center and a yellowish to yellow ring around. The ocelli may merge; they appear first with a body length of about 80 mm; smaller specimens have a vertically barred pattern beginning in the back. In artificially bred fish the pattern may be paler, albinos also have been observed.
Type locality
Notopterus ornatus : >Indian seas<,
Notopterus buchanani : >presumably in Siam<,
Notopterus chitala , partim: >Siam<.
Distribution
>... occurs only in the Mekong, Chao Phraya and Meklong river basins.<