Blotched snakehead

The blotched snakehead (Channa maculata) is a species of snakehead. It is one of four species of the genus Channa native to China. It is also native to northern Vietnam and Taiwan, but has been widely introduced to other countries, where it is an invasive species.^[4] This predatory species typically grows to a length of 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in),^[5] but it has been confirmed at 33 cm (13 in) and some suggest it may reach a far larger size.^[4]

Blotched snakehead
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anabantiformes
Family:	Channidae
Genus:	Channa
Species:	C. maculata
Binomial name
Channa maculata (Lacépède, 1801) [2][3]
Synonyms [4]
Ophicephalus guentheri Sauvage & Dabry de Thiersant, 1874 Ophicephalus tadianus Jordan & Evermann, 1902 Ophiocephalus marmoratus Brind, 1914