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The name spiny eel is used to describe members of two different families of fish: the freshwater Mastacembelidae of Asia and Africa, and the marine (and generally deep sea) Notacanthidae. Both are so-named because of their eel -like shape and sturdy fin spines.
Spiny eels generally inhabit soft-bottomed habitats in fresh and occasionally brackish water. Some species burrow in the substrate during the day or for certain months and have been found buried in soil in drying periods. [4] These fish have an eel-like body. The largest species can reach a maximum length of 1 m (3.3 ft). [3]
Notacanthidae, the deep-sea spiny eels, are a family of fishes found worldwide below 125 m (410 ft), and as deep as 3,500 m (11,500 ft). Their bodies are greatly elongated, though more tapered than in true eels. The caudal fin is small or nonexistent, while the anal fin is lengthy, as long as half of the total body length.
Mastacembelus is a genus of many species of spiny eel fish from the family Mastacembelidae.They are native to Africa (c. 45 species) and Asia (c. 15 species). [4] Most are found in rivers and associated systems (even in rapids [5]), but there are also species in other freshwater habitats and a particularly rich radiation is found in the Lake Tanganyika basin with 15 species (14 endemic).
Macrognathus siamensis, the peacock eel or spotfin spiny eel, is a spiny eel found in freshwater habitats throughout Southeast Asia. They are commercially important as food and aquarium fish. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
Along the backbone of the eel, the dorsal fin is preceded by numerous isolated small spines that can be raised, giving them the name. The dorsal fin also has many prominent eyespots along the base. There are many different variations of the Spiny Eel. They can grow up to be 14 inches long (35 centimeters), but are usually smaller.
Macrognathus aral, the one-stripe spiny eel, is a small fish from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. It usually is found in running and stagnant waters of freshwater and brackish waters. It is 63.5 cm (25.0 in) in length. [2] After mating, eggs are deposited by attaching on to algal masses. [2]
The snub-nosed spiny eel (Notacanthus chemnitzii) is a member of the family Notacanthidae, the deep-sea spiny eels, which are not true eels (Anguilliformes).The snub-nosed spiny eel exists in waters all over the world, except in the tropics, [1] ranging in color from light tan to bluish grey in small ones to dark brown in large ones. [1]