Family: Plotosidae
Synonym: Plotosus arab, Plotosus anguillaris, Silurus lineatus
Common Name: striped eel catfish
Maximum size: 32 cm
Meristic: D. I, 5, 87-97; A. 74-83; V. 12
Description: | Body elongated, a pair of barbels at anterior nostrils; 2 pairs of barbels on upper jaw and 1 pair on lower jaw. Dorsal and anal fins confluent with caudal fin; the spine of the first dorsal fin and pectoral fins serrated and attached to an embedded venom gland. Body brown to black dorsally, shading to white ventrally, with 2 narrow white stripes on lateral side; second dorsal, anal and caudal fins with black margin. |
Habitat: | Reef-associated. |
Remarks: | Venomous. The highly venomous serrate spine of the first dorsal and each of the pectoral fins are dangerous, and even fatal in rare cases. Spawning: May to July. |
Distribution: | Indo-Pacific: Red Sea, East Africa, north to southern Japan, southern Korea, south to Australia, Micronesia. |