Bronze featherback

{{Speciesbox

| image = Notopterus notopterus46.JPG

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Ng, H.H. |year=2020 |title=Notopterus notopterus |volume=2020 |page=e.T166433A60584003 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T166433A60584003.en |access-date=3 May 2022}}

| parent_authority = Lacépède, 1800

| taxon = Notopterus notopterus

| authority = (Pallas, 1769)

| range_map = Notopterus notopterus map.jpg

| range_map_caption = Red:extant , Green: introduced

| synonyms = * Notopterus bontianus Valenciennes, 1848

Notopterus kapirat Lacepède, 1800
Notopterus osmani Rahimullah & Das, 1991
Notopterus pallasii Valenciennes, 1848

}}

The bronze featherback (Notopterus notopterus) is a ray-finned fish in the family Notopteridae found in South and Southeast Asia. Although primarily found in fresh water, it has been known to enter brackish water.{{FishBase | genus = Notopterus | species = notopterus | month = February | year = 2022}} At present, it is the only member of the genus Notopterus,{{FishBase genus | genus = Notopterus | month = February | year = 2022}} but as currently defined, it is likely a species complex.

Description

File:Mystus badgee.jpg

Young specimens are a dark bronze-like color that becomes lighter with age. The species reaches a length up to {{convert|60|cm|in|abbr=on}}.

The bronze featherback can easily be kept in an aquarium. Popular as food, this fish also appears in a stamp of the Kingdom of Laos.[http://www.marinespecies.org/photogallery.php?album=698&pic=20506 WoRMS - Notopterus notopterus]

As food

This fish has been used as food in Southeast Asia since ancient times,Charles Higham, A. Kijnga ed. The Origins of the Civilization of Angkor: Volume VI The Iron Age. page 43. IV 'The Fish Remains' and remains an important food item in countries such as Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Thailand. It is preserved and prepared in different ways.

In Burmese cuisine, the flesh of the bronze featherback, locally known as ngaphe, is used in ngachin, a pressed fish pickle, and is used to make fish paste.{{Cite web|title=ပဲခူးငါးချဉ်စျေးကွက် ဆက်လက်ဖွံ့ဖြိုးနေ|url=https://www.doca.gov.mm/my/node/1401|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Department of Consumer Affairs|language=my}}

In Thai cuisine, a variety of nam phrik with minced roasted pla salat is eaten along with raw vegetables. It is popular in Khorat.[http://www.the-than.com/food/1/a75.html Nam phrik pla salat pon recipe] Although much smaller in size, it is similar in appearance to the Chitala ornata, another important fish in Thai cuisine.

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|File:Pla salat55.jpg specialty]]

|File:Nam phrik pla salat ponน้ำพริกปลาสลาดป่น5323.jpg pla salat pon]]