Family : Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Order : Synbranchiformes  (spiny eels)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Barred spiny eel
Fish Name : Macrognathus pancalus
Max size : 18.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 41236)
Environment : benthopelagic
Climate : tropical; 38°N - 8°N
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=1.0-1.7)Distribution : Asia: Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Reported from Nepal (Ref. 9496).
Diagnosis :
Biology : Inhabits slow and shallow waters of rivers of plains and estuaries; never available above an altitude of 366 m. Also found in canals, streams, beels, ponds and inundated fields (Ref. 1479). Has been placed into aquaria and kept by hobbyists; it stays on the bottom and spawns in the upper water-level. The more slender and generally smaller males pursue the female in courtship; several males may join in
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Talwar, P.K. and A.G. Jhingran. 1991. (Ref. 4833)

India country information
Common Names : Striped spinyeel, ஆரால், Aral, Havumeenu, Vam, Vambat
Status : native
Salinity : freshwater, brackish
Uses : no uses