1. Murrel is commonly called live-fish and popularly known as snake- headed fish.
2.Body is elongated, anteriorly cylindrical and posteriorly compressed and covered with cycloid scales. It may grow to the length of 45cm.
3.Body colour is variable-greenish black, side yellowish and abdomen stripped.
4.Head depressed and covered with large cycloid scales.
5.Dorsal and anal fins are single, long and without spines.
6.Pectoral fins near pelvic fins. Caudal fin is rounded and fan - shaped.
7.Accessory breathing organs are present. On the roof of its pharynx, the fish has a pair of cavities which have folded linings richly supplied with blood vessels for taking in air.
8.Accessory respiratory organs enable these fishes to survive out of water for a few hours or migrate from one pool to another.
9.Air- bladder is much elongated.
10.Murrel (channa) is found in the fresh waters of India, Myanmar, Sri lanka, Malaya, Thailand, China, Formosa, Islands of East Archipelago, Tropical Africa etc.
Source:
1. Practical Zoology Vertebrates by S.S.Lal. 2. A Manual of Practical Zoology Chordates by Dr. P.S. Verma.
