Teleostei (teleosts) >
Beloniformes (Needle fishes) >
Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Etymology: Xenentodon: Greek, xenos = strange + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Hamilton.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; pH range: 7.0 - 7.5; dH range: 20 - ?; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 2 m (Ref. 58302). Tropical; 22°C - 28°C (Ref. 1672); 38°N - 5°N
Asia: Sri Lanka and India eastward to the Mekong.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4833); common length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4833)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 18; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 16 - 18. Body very elongate and slightly compressed. Dorsal fin inserted usually anterior to a vertical through the origin of the anal fin. Green-silvery dorsally, grading to whitish below. A silvery band with a dark margin run along the side; a series of four or five blotches (absent in young specimens) on sides between the pectoral and anal fins. Dorsal and anal fins with dark edges.
Warning: preg_replace(): Compilation failed: missing closing parenthesis at offset 24 in /var/www/html/includes/speciessummary.lib.php on line 50
Warning: preg_replace(): Compilation failed: missing closing parenthesis at offset 25 in /var/www/html/includes/speciessummary.lib.php on line 53
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Male pursues a slow-moving female and upon catching up with the female, will begin shuddering from side to side while the pair is oriented parallel to each other; the pair positions themselves close to submerged vegetation; male assumes a slight head-down position , with his anal fin curled under the female's vent; the pair begins trembling until a single large egg is released; each female produces about a dozen eggs per day; eggs hatch in about a week; no parental care (Ref. 44091).
Talwar, P.K. and A.G. Jhingran, 1991. Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. Volume 2. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, i-xxii + 543-1158, 1 pl. (Ref. 4833)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic (Ref. 6028)
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: potential
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00112 (0.00070 - 0.00179), b=3.16 (3.03 - 3.29), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.9 ±0.62 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 284 [95, 708] mg/100g; Iron = 0.8 [0.4, 1.6] mg/100g; Protein = 16.7 [15.3, 18.3] %; Omega3 = 0.205 [0.082, 0.602] g/100g; Selenium = 36.6 [14.8, 85.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 43.9 [18.2, 104.0] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.72 [1.04, 2.47] mg/100g (wet weight); based on
nutrient studies.
