Chitala

Chitala is a genus of fish of the family Notopteridae. This genus contains six species, some of which are important in aquaculture and the aquarium industry. They are commonly known as the Asian knifefishes or featherbacks. They are native to freshwater in South East and Southeast Asia.^[1]

Chitala
Chitala ornata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Osteoglossiformes
Family:	Notopteridae
Subfamily:	Notopterinae
Genus:	Chitala Fowler, 1934
Type species
Mystus chitala Hamilton, 1822
Species
See species

The largest fish in the genus (and also the family) is Chitala lopis, which grows up to a length of 1.5 m (4.9 ft).^[1] Other well-known species are the clown knifefish (C. ornata) and the Indochina knifefish (C. blanci).

Species

There are six recognized species in this genus.^[1] In the past some of these (notably C. ornata) were included in C. chitala,^[2] resulting in considerable confusion, especially in the fishing and aquarium industries.^[3]

• Chitala blanci (François d'Aubenton-Carafa, 1965) (Indochina featherback or royal knifefish)
• Chitala borneensis (Bleeker, 1851)
• Chitala chitala (F. Hamilton, 1822) (Indian featherback)
• Chitala hypselonotus (Bleeker, 1852)
• †Chitala lopis (Bleeker, 1851)
• Chitala ornata (J. E. Gray, 1831) (Clown featherback or clown knifefish)