Table 1. Morphological characters of Channa species (% SL, except SL in mm) under study

(1 - C. amphibeus; 2 - C. aurantimaculata; 3 - C. barca; 4 - C. bleheri; 5 - C. gachua; 6 - C. marulius; 7 - C. punctatus; 8 - C. striata;

9 - C. stewartii)

Characters	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
N	1	5	4	2	11	11	11	14	7
Standard length	184.6	121.9-131.2	295- 297	148.4-149.1	112.8-246	97.8-151.6	95.6-144.0	164.8-187.0	102.9-113.5
Body depth	17.6	13.5-17.02	15.03-17.32	17.1-17.6	18.06-18.8	16.4-16.9	19.5-21.9	15.7-16.7	16.42-18.3
Head length	27.6	28.6-28.9	20.98-23.76	25.2-25.9	28.9-30.05	29.7-31.4	35.4-35.9	32.5-32.9	29.9-31.3
Head depth at nape	50.4	43.8-47.01	60.1-61.1	61.1-62.4	56.04-60.2	42.34-43.24	52.9-53.5	41.7-41.9	46.6-55.7
Head depth at eye		28.7-34.5	34.8-34.9	34.3-36.8	33.6-36.3	23.1-24.6	31.3-34.1	28.03-28.8	31.6-33.3
Head width(max)	59.6	62.2-69.02	58.6-58.8	75.2-76.1	65.5-70.0	50.5-56.3	56.4-59.4	49.7-53.4	63.5-68.8
Head width(eye)		50.9-52.9	45.7-46.0	50.19-51.03	45.4-48.9	39.9-40.7	37.6-41.2	38.4-41.4	46.7-51.03
Snout length	22.0	23.9-24.7	19.6-19.9	24.10-25.13	24.2-27.2	20.5-22.2	19.1-20	20.9-21.3	23.9-25.07
Eye diameter	14.7	14.9-15.06	11.92-12.75	13.2-13.5	15.04-17.4	13.7-19.2	13.7-15.9	12.2-12.8	15.8-18.08
Interorbital space	23.5	34.9-36.9	28.30-33.33	38.3-39.4	36.5-38.2	29.5-30.6	26.6-29.5	28.9-31.8	33.6-35.7
Dorsal fin base length	75.0	59.4-63.6	67.90-70.68	63.4-64.4	58.25-61.6	59.7-61.7	50.9-56.3	53.5-56.4	57.7-63.1
Pectoral fin length	16.8	16.7-19.36	15.40-15.59	17.3-17.4	17.5-20.12	14.2-14.9	18.8-21.9	16.7-17.33	17.5-19.9
Ventral fin length	5.6	8.08-8.24	6.70-6.80	Absent	8.15-9.8	10.5-14.2	14.16-15.06	12.14-13.7	7.9-9.93
Anal base fin length	46.6	39.8-39.9	42.72-44.23	40.1-41.4	36.5-43.7	37.5-39.4	38.7-42.2	32.9-36.4	39.7-40.8
Upper jaw length	48.4	41.5-48.09	45.69-55.8	46.2-47.4	38.6-42.2	42.6-43.9	34.2-36.8	44.09-44.5	42.2-43.7
Lower jaw length	47.4	44.6-48.6	46.6-46.9	47.4-48.7	46.18-46.3	32.2-33.2	41.5-44.4	45.9-46.9	41.5-48.1
Pelvic to anal distance	14.3	12.9-14.3	14.1-14.9		15.9-18.9	22.3-25.4	14.2-19.7	16.22-17.9	14.8-16.12
Scales in transverse. Row		15½- 16½	15 ½	11½	11½ -13 ½	21½-22 ½	13½-14 ½	18½	13 ½-14½
Dorsal fin rays	50	45-47	50-51	37	32-37	50-55	28-32	42-45	37-41
Pectoral fin rays	15	14-16	15-16	14	17	17	15-16	17-18	16
Anal fin rays	35	28-30	33-34	25	21-27	31-35	19-21	25-29	24-27
Caudal fin rays		15	13	14	12	14	15	15	14
Lateral line	81	51-54	62-63	46-50	39-48	60-70	35-40	55-65	45-53
Vertebrae		51	56	43	43	62	35	54	44