Plotosus lineatus
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Siluriformes (Catfishes)
Plotosidae (Eeltail Catfishes)
Plotosus
Plotosus lineatus
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal. This species has the dorsal and anal fins continuous with caudal fin; with 4 pairs of mouth barbels; and a single highly venomous serrate spine at the beginning of the first dorsal and each of the pectoral fins (Ref. 1602).
Description: Characterized by black to brown color on upper side; white ventrally; pair of narrow white stripes extending from head to caudal fin; well separated dorsal fins; origin of second dorsal fin posterior to level of pelvic fin origin; depth of body 5.8-8.0 in SL; anterior nostril tubular, dorsal to upper lip; gill membranes narrowly attached across isthmus (Ref. 90102). Striking features: none.
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan, southern Korea, and the Ogasawara Islands, south to Australia and Lord Howe Island. Palau and Yap in Micronesia (Ref. 1602). Sometimes enters freshwaters of East Africa (Lake Malawi) and Madagascar (Ref. 3879). First record in the Mediterranean (Ref. 123740),
Habitat Associations
Brackish, marine. reef-associated. depth range 1-60 m. Found in: streams, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds.
Biology
Coastal benthic (Ref. 68964). The only catfish found in coral reefs. Also found in estuaries, tide pools and open coasts. Juveniles form dense ball-shaped schools of about 100 fish; adults are solitary or occur in smaller groups of around 20 and are known to hide under ledges during the day (Ref. 1602, 5503, 12693, 37816, 48635). Adults search and stir the sand incessantly for crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and sometimes fish (Ref. 5213). Oviparous, with demersal eggs and planktonic larvae (Ref. 205). The highly venomous serrate spine of the first dorsal and each of the pectoral fins are dangerous, and even fatal in rare cases (Ref. 1602).
Max length: 35.2 cm TL; common length: 25.0 cm TL; max age: 7 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; guarders (nesters). The male in the spawning pair constructs the nest under rocks and other large pieces of debris (Ref. 240). After spawning, the female departs while the male guards the eggs.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2023-08-18. Resilience: Medium (K=0.44-0.45; tm=1-3; tmax=7).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Thresher, R.E. (1984) Reproduction in reef fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Neptune City, New Jersey. 399 p.
Myers, R.F. (1991) Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
Taylor, W.R. and J.R. Gomon (1986) Plotosidae. p. 160-162. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISBN, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 2.
Thollot, P. (1996) Les poissons de mangrove du lagon sud-ouest de Nouvelle-Calédonie. ORSTOM Éditions, Paris.
Fricke, R. (1999) Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez): an annotated checklist, with descriptions of new species. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Theses Zoologicae, Vol. 31:759 p.
Horinouchi, M. and M. Sano (2000) Food habits of fishes in a Zostera marina bed at Aburatsubo, central Japan. Ichthyol. Res. 47(2):163-173.
Myers, R.F. (1999) Micronesian reef fishes: a comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia, 3rd revised and expanded edition. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 330 p.
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann (2012) Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth, Australia: Universitiy of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research.
Ueng, Y.T., F.J. Lin, Y.S. Chan, C.W. Tsao and M.J. Chen (2022) Sexual dimorphism, length-weight relationships, fecundity, and diet of the striped eel catfish Plotosus lineatus (Plotosidae) on Taiwan's southwest coast. Natural Resources 13(3):77-90. DOI: 10.4236/nr.2022.133006
Comments On Plotosus lineatus