Channa argus (Cantor, 1842)

Chan, Jeffery C. F., Tsang, Alphonse H. F., Yau, Sze-man, Hui, Tommy C. H., Lau, Anthony, Tan, Heok Hui, Low, Bi Wei, Dudgeon, David & Liew, Jia Huan, 2023, The non-native freshwater fishes of Hong Kong: diversity, distributions, and origins, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 71, pp. 128-168 : 141

Channa argus × Channa maculata hybrid ( Fig. 22C )

Distribution. Shing Mun Reservoir, Lower Shing Mun Reservoir, Ng Tung River, Kam Tin River, Ma Wat River, Sheung Yue River (current survey).

Remarks. Identification solely using morphometrics have not been reliable in Hong Kong, as putative hybrids that matched descriptions from Ou et al. (2018) that were DNA barcoded were identified as purebred Channa argus . The localities listed above are a tentative distribution of this putative hybrid whilst a comprehensive integrative taxonomic assessment is pending. This species is sometimes released during Buddhist rituals.

Figures

Fig. 22. A, Channa argus, Ng Tung River, Channa maculata, B1, (dorsal head pattern), B2, (lateral pattern), She Shan River (uncertain origin), Channa argus × Channa maculata hybrid, C1, (dorsal head pattern), C2, (lateral pattern), Ng Tung River.