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First record of a tropical mottled eel, Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis (Actinopterygii: Anguillidae) from the Langkawi Islands, Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2014

Takaomi Arai*
Affiliation:
Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: T. Arai, Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia email: arai@umt.edu.my
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Abstract

Previous studies indicated that a tropical mottled eel Anguilla marmorata Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 had been found in Peninsular Malaysia. After reexamination of a number of key characters of a preserved specimen, the species was identified as Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis Gray, 1831. This is the first record of the occurrence of this species in Malaysian waters. There was no eel aquaculture around the eel habitats. Thus, A. bengalensis bengalensis is a native eel species in Malaysia. The new record is suggestive of an offshore spawning area and migration route to the Malaysian coast.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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References

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