Hi I want to know more about the Monopterus cuchia. Do you have any articles or additional pictures available? Thank you very much, Jonathan Jordan.
Systematic position
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Order: Synbranchiformes (Swamp eels)
Suborder: Synbranchoidei
Family: Synbranchidae (Swamp eels)
Genus: Monopterus
Species: M. cuchia
Common/local names
English: Gangetic mud eel, Cuchia
Bangladesh: Kuchia (কুচিয়া), Kuicha (কুইচা) and Kunche (কানচি)
India: Kuchia (Assam); Kuchia, Cuchia, and Kunche (West Bengal); Anayabaam and Cuchia (Bihar) and Cuchia (Orissa) (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991)
Synonyms
Amphipnous cuchia (Hamilton, 1822)
Ophichthys punctatus Swainson, 1839
Pneumabranchus albinus McClelland, 1844
Pneumabranchus leprosusMcClelland, 1844
Pneumabranchus striatus McClelland, 1844
Unibranchapertura cuchia Hamilton, 1822
Distributions: Bangladesh; India (northern and northeastern India), Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991).
Conservation status: Vulnerable in Bangladesh due to loss of habitats, changes in habitats and overexploitation (IUCN Bangladesh, 2000).
Morphology: Cylindrical body eel like not whip like. Eyes small, head not conspicuous, gill-opening crescentic of which gill greatly reduced. Large and paired suprabranchial pouch (respiratory organ) present. Only a rudimentary dorsal originates from anus vertically with no pectoral, pelvic, anal and caudal fin. Scales distinct and longitudinally arranged.
Body color greenish or a chest-nut brown, becoming lighter on abdomen with numerous black spot on body (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991).
Fin formula: D. very rudimentary; P1. P2. A. and C. absent (Bhuiyan, 1964; Rahman, 1989 and 2005; IUCN Bangladesh, 2000).
Maximum lengths: 20 cm (Bhuiyan, 1964), 66 cm (Rahman, 1989 and 2005) and 60 cm (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991; IUCN Bangladesh, 2000) and 82 cm (Galib, 2008).
Habitats: Freshwater and brackishwater fish; found in shallow, well vegetated waters and mud (IUCN Bangladesh, 2000). Inhabits plenty in mud holes in shallow beels and boro paddy field throughout the Bangladesh (especially Sylhet, Mymensingh and Tangail districts) (Rahman, 1989 and 2005). Inhibits muddy hole of rivers and paddy fields (Bhuiyan, 1964). Recorded from Chalan beel (Galib et al., 2009).
Fishery info: Used as food fish in Bangladesh but many people do not take it as food. Believed to have medicinal value.
REFERENCES:
Md. Foyzul Hassan Fahad, en.bdfish.org