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Tire-track spiny eel (Mastacembelus favus) — Mastacembelidae

Tire-track spiny eel

Mastacembelus favus

The Tire-track spiny eel (Mastacembelus favus) is a freshwater fish of the family Mastacembelidae that grows up to 70 cm.

Length
70 cm
Water
Freshwater
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Tire-track spiny eel is a spiny eel (Mastacembelidae) from fresh water of Sundaland and the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 70 cm and has a very elongate, eel-like, brown body with a pointed, movable snout and a row of short, separate spines along the back before the soft dorsal fin. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it burrows by day in sand and leaf litter and hunts worms, insect larvae and small invertebrates by night. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Tire-track spiny eel?

The Tire-track spiny eel has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Tire-track spiny eel live?

The Tire-track spiny eel lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Tire-track spiny eel get?

The Tire-track spiny eel grows to a maximum of about 70 cm.

Is the Tire-track spiny eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Tire-track spiny eel is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bandsporen-stekelaal sourced
English name
Tire-track spiny eel sourced
Scientific name
Mastacembelus favus
Family
Mastacembelidae
Other names
Tire track eel verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
70.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Mastacembelus

More from the family Mastacembelidae

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