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Macrognathus

Genus of fishes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Macrognathus is a genus of eel-like fish of the family Mastacembelidae of the order Synbranchiformes.

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These fish are distributed throughout most of South and Southeast Asia.[1] Macrognathus species feed on small aquatic insect larvae as well as oligochaetes.[1]

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Appearance and anatomy

Most Macrognathus species attain 20–25 cm (8–10 in) in length,[1] but a few surpass this size, with the largest being M. aral at up to 63.5 cm (25 in).[2]

Macrognathus are mostly similar to Mastacembelus. However, they differ in a more modified rostrum, which may be slightly to significantly larger and longer than those found in Mastacembelus. This serves not only to find food but also to help gather food.[1]

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In the aquarium

A number of species of this genus are popular aquarium fish. These include the lesser spiny eel, Macrognathus aculeatus, the spotfinned spiny eel, Macrognathus siamensis, as well as others.

Species

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According to FishBase, there are currently 25 recognized species in this genus.[2] According to Catalog of Fishes, one of these, M. malabaricus, belongs in the genus Mastacembelus instead of Macrognathus and another, M. taeniagaster, is considered a junior synonym of M. circumcinctus.[3]

References

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