| Channa harcourtbutleri | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Superclass: | Osteichthyes |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Subclass: | Neopterygii |
| Infraclass: | Teleostei |
| Superorder: | Acanthopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Channidae |
| Genus: | Channa |
| Species: | C. harcourtbutleri |
| Binomial name | |
| Channa harcourtbutleri (Annandale, 1918) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Ophiocephalus harcourt-butleri Annandale, 1918 |
|
Channa harcourtbutleri is a species of snakehead endemic to Inle Lake[1] and surroundings[2] in Myanmar. Locally called nga ohn-ma, among aquarists it is known as one of the "dwarf snakeheads", but no significant import for aquarists is known. It is one of the smallest species of snakehead and has a length of 20 cm. The specific name honors Sir Harcourt Butler, a British governor in the region[1].
This was for a long time considered to be a junior synonym of Channa gachua. In fact, both species closely resemble each other. The article on its revalidation[3] only mentions 3 discriminating features like the missing ocellus in the dorsal fin of juvenile Channa harcourtbutleri. It is suspected to be a mouthbrooder and eats a wide range of foods including arthropods and small fish, but unlike in some relatives no frogs.