Family Mastacembelidae - Spiny eels
  Order
:
Mastacembelidae
  Class
:
Teleostei
No. in FishBase
:
Genera : 3 | Species : 88 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes
  Environment
:
Fresh : Yes | Brackish : Yes | Marine : No
  Division
:
Primary freshwater
  Aquarium
:
some
  First Fossil Record
:
     
  Remark
:
Primarily tropical; subtropical. Distribution: Africa, through Syria to Malay Archipelago and China. Usually 9-42 isolated spines preceeding dorsal fin of 52-131 soft rays. Usually 2 or 3 spines in anal fin; soft rays 30-130. Rostral appendage fleshy. Scales small. Basisphenoid lacking. About 66-110 vertebrae. To 0.9 m maximum length. Habitat varied. Some species burrow occasionally. Regarded excellent food fish in some places. Possible new species: 2 in lake Tanganyika (Brown et al., 2010).
  Etymology
:
Greek, mastax, -akos = bite, mouthful + Greek, emballo = to throw oneself, into, on ( Ref. 45335). Also, mastax means bill or upper lip, which may mean throwing its upper lip forward (for sniffing) (P.Adamicka, pers.comm. 10/09).
  Reproductive guild
:
nonguarders
  Typical activity level
:
  Main Ref.
:
  Coordinator
:
  Deep Fin Classification
:
Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Euteleosteomorpha | Neoteleostei | Eurypterygia | Ctenosquamata | Acanthomorphata | Acanthopterygii | Percomorphaceae | Anabantaria | | | Synbranchiformes | Mastacembeloidei | | Mastacembelidae

Show species images | Show valid names | Nominal species list | Identification keys | CAS specimen photos | References

 
Ref.
[ e.g. 9948]
Glossary
[ e.g. cephalopods]


Species/Synonymy list for the family Mastacembelidae as currently in FishBase

Important recommendation:

The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.

Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.

But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.

Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.

This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).

The list ordered as follows:

Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.

Show all | Show only accepted name | Show only accepted and original names
Scientifc name Status Senior/Junior synonym Combination
Mastacembelus mastacembelus (Banks & Solander, 1794)
acceptedseniornew
Ophidium mastacembelus Banks & Solander, 1794
synonymseniororiginal
Ophidium simack Walbaum, 1792
synonymjuniororiginal
Rhynchobdella haleppensis Bloch & Schneider, 1801
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus armatus (non Lacepède, 1800)
misappliedmisappliednew
Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepède, 1800)
acceptedseniornew
Macrognathus armatus Lacepède, 1800
synonymseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Macrognathus caudatus McClelland, 1842
synonymjuniororiginal
Macrognathus hamiltonii McClelland, 1844
synonymjuniororiginal
! Macrognathus hamiltoni McClelland, 1844
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Macrognathus undulatus (non McClelland, 1844)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus undulatus (McClelland, 1844)
acceptedseniornew
Macrognathus undulatus McClelland, 1844
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus armatus (non Lacepède, 1800)
misappliedmisappliednew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus argus Günther, 1861
synonymjuniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus longicauda Boulenger, 1907
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
Caecomastacembelus loennbergii (non Boulenger, 1898)
misappliedmisappliednew
Mastacembelus loennbergii (non Boulenger, 1898)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Mastacembelus marchei Sauvage, 1879
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
! Mastacembelus marchii Sauvage, 1879
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus sclateri Boulenger, 1903
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
Caecomastacembelus sclateri (Boulenger, 1903)
synonymjuniornew
Mastacembelus niger Sauvage, 1879
acceptedseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus niger (Sauvage, 1879)
synonymseniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
Mastacembelus goro Boulenger, 1902
synonymjuniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus goro (Boulenger, 1902)
synonymjuniornew
Mastacembelus batesii Boulenger, 1911
synonymjuniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus batesii (Boulenger, 1911)
synonymjuniornew
! Caecomastacembelus batesi (Boulenger, 1911)
synonymjuniornew
Mastacembelus ubangensis Boulenger, 1911
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
Mastacembelus brevicauda Boulenger, 1911
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus oatesii Boulenger, 1893
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus ophidium Günther, 1894
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus congicus Boulenger, 1896
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Afromastacembelus congicus (Boulenger, 1896)
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus signatus Boulenger, 1905
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
Afromastacembelus signatus (Boulenger, 1905)
synonymjuniornew
Mastacembelus shiranus Günther, 1896
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
Mastacembelus marchei (non Sauvage, 1879)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
! Mastacembelus loennbergi Boulenger, 1898
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus cryptacanthus (non Günther, 1867)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Mastacembelus moorii Boulenger, 1898
acceptedseniororiginal
Aethiomastacembelus moori (Boulenger, 1898)
synonymseniornew
Afromastacembelus moorii (Boulenger, 1898)
synonymseniornew
Caecomastacembelus moorii (Boulenger, 1898)
synonymseniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus christyi Worthington & Ricardo, 1937
synonymjuniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
! Mastacembelus brevirhynchus Boulenger, 1899
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus ellipsifer Boulenger, 1899
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus frenatus Boulenger, 1901
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Afromastacembelus frenatus (Boulenger, 1901)
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Caecomastacembelus frenatus (Boulenger, 1901)
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus taeniatus Boulenger, 1901
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus victoriae Boulenger, 1903
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus mellandi Boulenger, 1914
synonymjuniororiginal
! Mastacembalus mellandi Boulenger, 1914
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus moeruensis Boulenger, 1914
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
synonymjuniornew
! Mastacembalus moeruensis Boulenger, 1914
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus stappersii Boulenger, 1914
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
synonymjuniornew
! Mastacembelus stappersi Boulenger, 1914
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus thompsoni Boulenger, 1918
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus greshoffi Boulenger, 1901
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus ansorgii Boulenger, 1905
acceptedseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus ansorgii (Boulenger, 1905)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus trispinosus Steindachner, 1911
acceptedseniororiginal
Aethiomastacembelus trispinosus (Steindachner, 1911)
synonymseniornew
Afromastacembelus trispinosus (Steindachner, 1911)
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus dayi Boulenger, 1912
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus unicolor (non Cuvier, 1832)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Mastacembelus decorsei Pellegrin, 1919
acceptedseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus decorsei (Pellegrin, 1919)
synonymseniornew
Caecomastacembelus loennbergii (non Boulenger, 1898)
misappliedmisappliednew
Mastacembelus loennbergii (non Boulenger, 1898)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
acceptedseniorchange in rank
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus platysoma Poll & Matthes, 1962
acceptedseniororiginal
Aethiomastacembelus platysoma (Poll & Matthes, 1962)
synonymseniornew
Afromastacembelus platysoma (Poll & Matthes, 1962)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus sanagali Thys van den Audenaerde, 1972
acceptedseniororiginal
Aethiomastacembelus sanagali (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1972)
synonymseniornew
Caecomastacembelus sanagali (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1972)
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus seiteri Thys van den Audenaerde, 1972
acceptedseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus seiteri (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1972)
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus aviceps Roberts & Stewart, 1976
acceptedseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus aviceps (Roberts & Stewart, 1976)
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus crassus Roberts & Stewart, 1976
acceptedseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus crassus (Roberts & Stewart, 1976)
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus latens Roberts & Stewart, 1976
acceptedseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus latens (Roberts & Stewart, 1976)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Mastacembelus sexdecimspinus (Roberts & Travers, 1986)
acceptedseniornew
Afromastacembelus sexdecimspinus Roberts & Travers, 1986
synonymseniororiginal
Aethiomastacembelus sexdecimspinus (Roberts & Travers, 1986)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus praensis (Travers, 1992)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus taiaensis (Travers, 1992)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Caecomastacembelus liberiensis (non Boulenger, 1898)
misappliedmisappliednew
Mastacembelus loennbergii (non Boulenger, 1898)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Caecomastacembelus greshoffi (non Boulenger, 1901)
misappliedmisappliednew
Mastacembelus greshoffi (non Boulenger, 1901)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Mastacembelus robertsi (Vreven & Teugels, 1996)
acceptedseniornew
Aethiomastacembelus robertsi Vreven & Teugels, 1996
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus traversi (Vreven & Teugels, 1997)
acceptedseniornew
Aethiomastacembelus traversi Vreven & Teugels, 1997
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus dienbienensis Nguyen & Nguyen, 2005
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus kakrimensis Vreven & Teugels, 2005
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus flavomarginatus (non Boulenger, 1898)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Mastacembelus polli Vreven, 2005
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus thacbaensis Nguyen & Nguyen, 2005
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus reygeli Vreven & Snoeks, 2009
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus simbi Vreven & Stiassny, 2009
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus apectoralis Brown, Britz, Bills, Rüber & Day, 2011
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus strigiventus Zhou & Yang, 2011
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus triolobus Zhou & Yang, 2011
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniornew
Ophidium aculeatum Bloch, 1786
synonymseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Rhyncobdella aculeata (Bloch, 1786)
synonymseniornew
! Macroganthus aculeatus (Bloch, 1786)
synonymseniornew
! Macrognathus aculeata (Bloch, 1786)
synonymseniornew
! Macrognathus aculeatum (Bloch, 1786)
synonymseniornew
! Macrograthus aculeatus (Bloch, 1786)
synonymseniornew
! Rhynchobdella aculeata (Bloch, 1786)
synonymseniornew
synonymotheroriginal
! Rhyncobdella ocellata Cuvier, 1832
synonymotheroriginal
Rhyncobdella aculeata siamensis (non Günther, 1861)
misappliedmisappliedmisapplied
Macrognathus aral (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
acceptedseniornew
Rhynchobdella aral Bloch & Schneider, 1801
synonymseniororiginal
! Rhyncobdella aral Bloch & Schneider, 1801
synonymseniororiginal
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Macrognathus jammuensis Malhotra & Singh Dutta, 1975
synonymjuniororiginal
Ophidium aculeatum (non Bloch, 1786)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Rhynchobdella aculeata (non Bloch, 1786)
misappliedmisappliednew
Macrognathus pancalus Hamilton, 1822
acceptedseniororiginal
Mastacembelus pancalus (Hamilton, 1822)
synonymseniornew
! Macrognathus puncalus Hamilton, 1822
synonymseniororiginal
! Mastacembelus panaculas (Hamilton, 1822)
synonymseniornew
! Mastacembelus pancala Hamilton, 1822
synonymseniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Macrognathus maculatus (Cuvier, 1832)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Mastacembelus billitonensis de Beaufort, 1939
synonymjuniororiginal
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Macrognathus guentheri (non Day, 1865)
misappliedmisappliednew
Mastacembelus guentheri (non Day, 1865)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Macrognathus zebrinus (Blyth, 1858)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Macrognathus siamensis (Günther, 1861)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus siamensis (Günther, 1861)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
! Macrognathus guntheri (Day, 1865)
synonymseniornew
Macrognathus caudiocellatus (Boulenger, 1893)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
! Macrognathus cadiocellatus (Boulenger, 1893)
synonymseniornew
! Macrognathus cardiocellatus (Boulenger, 1893)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Macrognathus keithi (Herre, 1940)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Macrognathus morehensis Arunkumar & Tombi Singh, 2000
acceptedseniororiginal
Macrognathus tapirus Kottelat & Widjanarti, 2005
acceptedseniororiginal
ambiguoushomonymoriginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Macrognathus pavo Britz, 2010
acceptedseniororiginal
Macrognathus albus Plamoottil & Abraham, 2014
acceptedseniororiginal
Macrognathus fasciatus Plamoottil & Abraham, 2014
acceptedseniororiginal
Sinobdella sinensis (Bleeker, 1870)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Mastacembelus sinensis (Bleeker, 1870)
synonymseniornew
Ophidium aculeatum Basilewsky, 1855
ambiguoushomonymoriginal
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