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Mystus tengara – Habit and Habitat, Identifying Characteristics, Economic and Ecological Importance.


The common name of Mystus tengara is “Tengra”, “Tengara catfish”, “Golden catfish”, “Bajari tengra”, “Bujuri tengra”, “Guitta tengra”, “Tinggaray”, “Singorah”, etc. In this article on Mystus tengra, we will learn 1. Systematic position, 2. Habit and Habitat, 3. Identifying characters, 4. Ecological importance, 5. Economic importance.

 

Systematic Position

Phylum: Chordata

  Subphylum: Vertebrata

    Class: Osteichthyes

      Order: Siluriformes

        Family: Bagridae

          Genus: Mystus

             Species: Mystus tengra

 

Habit and Habitat

1. They are mainly found in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan.

2. They are restricted to the Ganges and Brahmaputra river drainages.

3. They live in lakes, rivers, canals, haors, ponds, paddy fields, streams, etc.

4. They are omnivorous.

5. They feed on plankton, algae, protozoa, shrimps, insects, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and other smaller fishes.


Diagram

 

Mystus tengara

fig: Diagram of Mystus tengara (Hamilton, 1822)


Identifying Characteristics of Mystus tengara

1. Body elongated and slightly compressed.

2. Maximum length can be 6 – 8 cm.

3. The body is scaleless.

4. The head is depressed, median longitudinal groove on head reaching base of occipital process.

5. Six types of fins present. The dorsal fin, pectoral fins, pelvic fins, anal fins, caudal fin and adipose fin.

6. Mouth terminal and four pairs of barbels present.

7. Maxillary barbels extend to the base of the anal fins.

8. Pelvic fins do not reach the base of the anal fins and anal fins do not reach the base of the caudal fin.

9. Body is divided into head, trunk, and tail.

10. A black spot was found in the trunk region, behind the operculum.

11. 4 or 5 dark longitudinal bands present in the trunk region.

12. Both pectoral spines are stronger than the dorsal spine and pectoral spines are the offensive organ and tengra can injure with these spines.

13. Males have an elongated genital papilla in front of the anal fins.

14. Color yellow or light brown in the dorsal region and white in the ventral region.

15. Fin formula: D. 1/7; P1. 1/8; P2. 6; A. 10-13


Ecological Importance

1. They are the part of freshwater ecosystem.

2. They live in standing or flowing waters of rivers, lakes, ponds, haors, canals, paddy fields, jute fields etc.

3. They are omnivorous and feed on plankton, algae, protozoa, shrimps, insects, worms, mollusks, crustaceans and other smaller fishes.

4. They are the food for many monster fishes and aquatic animals and birds.

5. They are also tasteful food for humans and other animals.

 

Economic Importance of Mystus tengara

1. This species is used as food fish.

2. It is a very delicious food and a source of protein for humans.

3. It is being cultivated commercially now.

4. It has also medicinal value and useful in calcium deficiency.

5. Mystus tengara farmers lead their life by selling this fish in the market and thus playing an important role in the GDP.

6. People also keep this species as pets in the aquarium and this species is putting an important role in the pet industry.


 

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Read more:

  1. Mystus cavasius – Diagram | Habit and Habitat, Identifying Characteristics, Economic and Ecological Importance
  2. General Characters of All Classes of Vertebrates.

Reference:

  1. Mystus wiki

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