Striped Eel Catfish

Plotosus lineatus, commonly known as the striped eel catfish, belongs to the family Plotosidae and is a species of eeltail catfish.

Plotosus lineatus can grow up to a maximum length of 32 cm (13 in). The body of this species is brown with cream-colored or white longitudinal bands.

One of the most notable features of P. lineatus is its fused fins, including the second dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, resembling that of eels. The rest of the body is similar to that of a freshwater catfish, characterized by four pairs of barbels surrounding the mouth - four on the upper jaw and four on the lower jaw. The first dorsal fin and each pectoral fin possess highly venomous spines, which can be exceptionally dangerous and even fatal.

Juvenile Plotosus lineatus form dense ball-shaped schools consisting of approximately 100 fish, while adults tend to be solitary or occur in smaller groups of around 20 individuals, often hiding under ledges during daylight hours. Adult P. lineatus individuals are known to diligently search and stir the sand to find crustaceans, molluscs, worms, and occasionally fish.

P. lineatus is an oviparous fish, with demersal eggs and planktonic larvae. It has evolved long ampullary canals in its electrosensory organs, originally referred to as "ampullae of Lorenzini."

This species is distributed in the 🌊 Indian Ocean, western 🌊 Pacific Ocean, and has been recorded in the eastern Mediterranean Sea since 2002, where it has become common from Levantine waters to the Gulf of Gabes. It occasionally ventures into freshwater habitats in East Africa and 🇲🇬 Madagascar. P. lineatus can be found in coral reefs, estuaries, tide pools, and open coasts.

In Europe, P. lineatus was placed on the list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern in 2019. As a result, the import, breeding, transportation, commercialization, and deliberate release of this species into the environment are prohibited throughout the European Union.