Monopterus albus
| Asian swamp eel | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Synbranchiformes |
| Family: | Synbranchidae |
| Genus: | Monopterus |
| Species: | M. albus |
| Binomial name | |
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Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Asian swamp eel, swamp eel, rice eel, or white ricefield eel(Monopterus albus) is a commercially important, air-breathing species of fish in the Synbranchidae family. Originating in the waters of East and Southeast Asia, it has been identified as an invasive species in the North American Everglades.
The Asian swamp eel is a freshwater eel-like fish belonging to the family Synbranchidae. This family is native to the fresh, brackish, tropical, and subtropical waters of Asia, but is now present in West Africa and North, Central, and South America. Its taxonomy, however, is incorrect. Though Monopterus albus was initially thought to be a single species, four known populations of the “species” in the southeastern United States may actually be three distinct species or taxa, each originating from a different area in Asia.Monopterus albus is placed in the class or subclass Actinopterygii. It arose from the Osteichthyes, the first bony fish, whose fossil record dates back to the Triassic period. In turn, the bony fish came from the Acanthodii class of bony and cartilaginous fish. The common name of M. albus is somewhat of a misnomer, as the Asian swamp eel is not an eel, per se. Eels are of the order Anguilliformes, while M. albus is of the order Synbranchiformes.
The Asian swamp eel has a scaleless, anguilliform (snake-like) body that grows to a meter or less, typically 25 to 40 cm as an adult. As a swamp eel, it has a tapering tail and blunt snout, and lacks pectoral and pelvic fins. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are rudimentary, with the caudal fin often absent. These fins serve to protect the swamp eel against rolling, and assist in sudden turns and stops. Its gill membranes are fused, but one v-shaped gill is located beneath the head. Such a shape prevents reverse flow. Its body and head are dark, with dark olive or brown dorsal coloring and light orange ventral coloring. This coloration camouflages the aquatic predator; however, some are brightly colored with yellow, black, and gold spots.
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