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| NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
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Common Name: clown knife
Synonyms and Other Names: (featherback).
Taxonomy: available through 
Identification: The commonly used synonym for this species is Notopterus chitala. See Roberts (1992b) for recent revision, identification key, diagnostic and distinguishing characteristics, and photographs. He also discussed the different color varieties produced by artificial breeding.
Size: 100 cm.
Native Range:
Tropical Asia. The Mekong and Chao Phraya basins of Indochina and Thailand (Roberts 1992b). Loas (Baird 1999).
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 Alaska |
Hawaii |
Caribbean |
Interactive maps: Continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean
Nonindigenous Occurrences: A single fish (56 cm TL, 1.6 kg) was taken in early 1994 by an angler from a small lake south of Winter Garden in Lake County, Florida (Hawkins 1994; W. Icenhour, personal communication). A small population of clown knifefish was recently discovered in Lake Osborne to Lake Ida system, Palm Beach County, Florida; the species was first recorded at the site in 1994 (W. Courtenay, personal communication). A single fish was collected from Norman Reservoir on the Catawba River, North Carolina in 2002 (G. Bray, personal communication).
Means of Introduction: Probable aquarium release.
Status: Established in Florida. Fewer than 100 individuals have been collected 1994-2003 (P. Shafland, pers. comm.).
Impact of Introduction: Unknown.
Remarks: This is an important food fish in Thailand (Berra 1981) and a popular
aquarium fish in the United States. Voucher specimens: The Florida Lake
County record is supported by a photograph in Hawkins (1994); the
collector's father related that the specimen was made into a trophy
mount (W. Icenhour, personal communication).
Voucher specimens: UF 120072.
Other Resources:
FishBase Fact Sheet
Author: Leo Nico and Pam Fuller
Revision Date: 8/5/2003 Citation for this information:
Leo Nico and Pam Fuller. 2009. Chitala ornata. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=793> Revision Date: 8/5/2003
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