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Mastacembelus

{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Caecomasta-moori4.jpg

| image_caption = Mastacembelus moorii

| taxon = Mastacembelus

| authority = Scopoli, 1777

| type_species = Ophidium mastacembelus

| type_species_authority = J. Banks & Solander, 1794{{Cof record|genid=296|title=Mastacembelus|access-date=13 November 2019}}

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision =

See text

| synonyms =

  • Caecomastacembelus
  • Aethiomastacembelus
  • Afromastacembelus{{cite web |url=http://research.calacademy.org/redirect?url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp&genid=7163 |title=Afromastacembelus |website=research.calacademy.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402153448/http://research.calacademy.org/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fresearcharchive.calacademy.org%2Fresearch%2Fichthyology%2Fcatalog%2Ffishcatget.asp&genid=7163 |archive-date=2012-04-02}}

}}

Mastacembelus is a genus of many species of spiny eel fish from the family Mastacembelidae. They are native to Africa (c. 45 species) and Asia (c. 15 species).{{FishBase genus | genus = Mastacembelus| month = May | year = 2025}} Most are found in rivers and associated systems (even in rapids{{cite journal| author1=Elizabeth Alter, S. | author2=Brown, B. | author3=Stiassny, M.L.J. | author3-link=Melanie Stiassny | year=2015 | title=Molecular phylogenetics reveals convergent evolution in lower Congo River spiny eels | journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume=15 | issue=1 | page=224 | doi=10.1186/s12862-015-0507-x | pmc=4608218 | pmid=26472465 | doi-access=free | bibcode=2015BMCEE..15..224A }}), but there are also species in other freshwater habitats and a particularly rich radiation is found in the Lake Tanganyika basin with 15 species (14 endemic).{{cite journal | last1 = Brown | last2 = Rüber | last3 = Bills | last4 = Day | year = 2010 | title = Mastacembelid eels support Lake Tanganyika as an evolutionary hotspot of diversification | journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | page = 188 | doi = 10.1186/1471-2148-10-188 | pmc = 2903574 | pmid=20565906 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2010BMCEE..10..188B }}{{cite journal | last1 = Brown | last2 = Britz | last3 = Bills | last4 = Rüber | last5 = Day | year = 2011 | title = Pectoral fin loss in the Mastacembelidae: a new species from Lake Tanganyika | journal = Journal of Zoology | volume = 284 | issue = 4| pages = 286–293 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00804.x }} A few species can even occur in brackish water.{{Cite iucn | |author= Fernado, M.|author2= Kotagama, O. |author3=de Alwis Goonatilake, S. |name-list-style=amp |year= 2019 |title= Mastacembelus armatus |page= e.T166586A60592409 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T166586A60592409.en |access-date=14 December 2023}}

Appearance

File:Tyre track eels.jpg caught in the Tlawng river in India. This species is sometimes kept in aquariums, but also considered a good food fish and eaten in its native range]]

The size and pattern varies greatly depending on the exact species of Mastacembelus. The smallest are M. latens and M. simba, which only reach a maximum total length of {{cvt|7-8|cm|in}}. At up to {{cvt|1|m|ft}}, the largest of both the family and this genus is M. erythrotaenia.{{Cite news | url=http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/mastacembelus-erythrotaenia/|title=Mastacembelus erythrotaenia (Fire Eel) | work=Seriously Fish|access-date=14 May 2018 }} M. erythrotaenia, often known as the fire eel, is blackish with an orange-red pattern, and it is a popular aquarium fish. Otherwise species in this genus are typically brownish and often have a spotted, speckled or mottled pattern, either in another brown hue, grayish or yellowish. This pattern is reflected in the common name of another species sometimes kept in aquariums, the zig-zag eel M. armatus (alternatively called the tire track eel, a name otherwise used for M. favus). A few others also occasionally appear in the aquarium trade, and some are considered good food fish and eaten locally. M aviceps, M. brichardi, M. crassus and M. latens are found in dark, deep parts of the Congo River and sometimes shallower among rocks. These four species have reduced eyes and are all pinkish-white in color (non-pigmented), similar to cavefish.

Taxonomy

In an evaluation of the Mastacembelidae in 2005, the genera Caecomastacembelus and Aethiomastacembelus (formerly used for the African species) were placed in synonymy with Mastacembelus.{{cite journal|title=Mastacembelidae (Teleostei; Synbranchiformes) subfamily division and African generic division: an evaluation|journal=Journal of Natural History|year=2005|volume=39|issue=4|pages=351–370|first=E. J.|last=Vreven|doi=10.1080/0022293042000195975|bibcode=2005JNatH..39..351V |s2cid=85280659 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/4668944 }}

Species

File:Tire Track Eel.jpg is a widespread Asian species found in both fresh and brackish water, but as currently defined it is likely a species complex]]

File:Ildaal.jpg is a relatively large, brightly marked Asian species that is highly prized in the aquarium trade.{{cite book|author=Schliewen, U. |year=1992 |title=Aquarium Fish|series= Barron's Educational Series|isbn=978-0812013504}}]]

File:Aethiomasta-ellipsif1.1.jpg, one of the many species found only in Lake Tanganyika]]

File:Mastacembelus-flavidus.jpg, another species found only in Lake Tanganyika]]

According to FishBase, there are currently 63 recognized species in this genus. 5 additional species (marked with a star* in the list) are recognized by Catalog of Fishes.{{Cof genus | Mastacembelus |access-date=2 May 2025}}

References

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Category:Mastacembelidae

Category:Taxa named by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli

Category:Freshwater fish genera