Lematang

The distribution records for this species are somewhat confusing. It was described from the confluence of the Lamatang and Enim rivers, Palambang Province, Sumatra and has since been recorded from Thailand (Chao Phraya River), Peninsular Malaysia (Pahang River) plus the islands of Java (Solo River) and Borneo (Kapuas and Barito rivers).

C. micropeltes is also referred to as 'Indonesian', 'red', or 'redline' snakehead, the latter names in reference to the appearance of juveniles which often appear in the ornamental trade despite its unsuitability for home aquaria. It is somewhat hyperbolised in the media as a fearsome, invasive "monster" fish with a reputation for killing more fish than it can eat, and even the occasional human, although in reality...

This species is poorly known in general and is not present in the ornamental trade, although its name is widely misapplied to other Luciosoma species. Its congeners are mostly marketed as 'apollo shark', 'shark minnow', or similar, and often labelled with incorrect scientific names. Identification of the fish pictured here is based on Bleeker (1855, 1860) and Roberts (1989), plus drawings by Bleeker, thus...