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Plotosus lineatus, commonly known as the Striped Eel Catfish, is a species of eeltail catfishes belonging to the family Plotosidae. Like most other members of the genus Plotosus. they possesses highly venomous spines that they can use to sting when threatened. The venom can cause mild to severe symptoms in humans. Plotosus lineatus is native to the Indo-Pcific but has become introduced to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal as a Lessepsian migrant. Plotosus lineatus can reach a maximum length of 32 cm. The body is brown with cream-colored or white longitudinal bands. pesce gatto dei coralli
Striped Eel Catfish – Pesce Gatto dei Coralli – Plotosus lineatus – www.intotheblue.it – www.intotheblue.link
The most striking feature of this species is in the fins, in fact the second dorsal, caudal and anal are fused together as in eels. In the rest of the body is quite similar to a freshwater catfish: the mouth is surrounded by four pairs of barbels, four on the upper jaw and four on the lower jaw. The first dorsal and each of the pectoral fins have a highly venomous spine. Juveniles form dense ball-shaped schools of about 100 fish, while adults are solitary or occur in smaller groups of around 20 and are known to hide under ledges during the day. Adult search and stir the sand incessantly for crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and sometimes fish.
Striped Eel Catfish – Pesce Gatto dei Coralli – Plotosus lineatus – www.intotheblue.it – www.intotheblue.link
Is an oviparous fish; this species has demersal eggs and planktonic larvae. It has evolved long ampullary canals in its electrosensory organs (originally termed “ampullae of Lorenzini”). This fishes occurs in the Indian Ocean, in the western Pacific Ocean and is recorded since 2002 in the eastern Mediterranean Sea where it is now common from Levantine waters to the Gulf of Gabes. It sometimes enters freshwaters in East Africa and Madagascar. Is found in coral reefs; and is also found in estuaries, tide pools and open coasts.
Striped Eel Catfish – Pesce Gatto dei Coralli – Plotosus lineatus – www.intotheblue.it – www.intotheblue.link
Plotosus lineatus has venomous spines on their fins that they use to sting for self-defense. Their skin also possess cells that secrete venom. The venom is composed of crinotoxins and plototoxins, which are mainly hemolytic but are also edema-forming, nociceptive, and tetanic. Symptoms stings range from mild to severe symptoms, they include extreme pain, dizziness, erytema, edema, necrosis, numbness, vomiting, muscle spasms, respiratory distress, shock, and sepsis. Though dangerous to humans, no human deaths have been recorded from the stings. They are known to be lethal to fish, crabs, and rodents in laboratory tests. Most envenomation incidents involve fishermen who handled the fish caught in their nets.
(extract from Wikipedia)
