HI JR,

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Channidae

Genus: Channa (Scopoli, 1777)

You may check such information on the two most authoritative (IMHO) pages in this field:

http://fishbase.org

http://www.marinespecies.org/

and also on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channa

Hope this helps,

ltdm

thank you very much Mr. Luis, it is my pleasure to get the quick response, in fact I was confused as some of the Taxonomist has relegated the family under the Order Channiformes, is Chaniformes a valid order

Hello,

As far as I know Channiforms is NOT a valid order. See Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World, Fourth Edition.

For taxonomic purposes, you may also check ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System at:

http://www.itis.gov/

You may also find interesting this recent paper:

Benziger, A., S. Philip, R. Raghavan, P. H. Anvar Ali, M. Sukumaran, J. C. Tharian, N. Dahanukar, F. Baby, R. Peter, K. R. Devi, K. V. Radhakrishnan, M. A. Haniffa, R. Britz, et A. Antunes. 2011. Unraveling a 146 Years Old Taxonomic Puzzle: Validation of Malabar Snakehead, Species-Status and Its Relevance for Channid Systematics and Evolution. PLoS ONE 6:e21272. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021272.

You can download it from the PlosONE page:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0021272

HTH

ltdm

Yes, Genus Channa is now under the Order Perciformes, Ref. Jayaram, K.C, 1999, Shrestha, T. K. 2008. Ichthyology of Nepal.

Previously it was under the Order Channiformes/ Ophiocephaliformes. Ref Berg, L.S. 1940, Day 1878, Hamilton, 1822

D. K. Jha

Department of Aquaculture,

Tribhuvan University,

Nepal

In the recent teleost classification of Wiley & Johnson (2010), Channa is placed within the Anabantiformes, a new order erected to circumscribe the Channoidei plus the Anabantoidei (both previously placed within the Perciformes; Nelson, 2006)

Hi all,

I presume that you refer to this book chapter:

Wiley, E. O., et G. D. Johnson. 2010. A teleost classification based on monophyletic groups. Pages 123–182 dans J. S. Nelson, H.-P. Schultze, et M. V. H. Wilson, (eds). Origin and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of Teleosts. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, Mȭnchen.

It is available for download here:

http://si-pddr.si.edu/jspui/handle/10088/9786

I am unsure whether this is a proposal or a validated classification.

Cheers

ltdm

Formerly, Ophiochephaliformes then Chaniformes.. now we should comply with the recent classification of Wiley & Johnson (2010) pointed out by .Alessio Datovo.

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Channidae

is right answer.

Hi all,

I think that the correct answer is "The status is unclear".

Maybe some new insights will come from works like this one :

Li, B., A. Dettaï, C. Cruaud, A. Couloux, M. Desoutter-Meniger, et G. Lecointre. 2009. RNF213, a new nuclear marker for acanthomorph phylogeny. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 50:345–363. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2008.11.013.

The paper is available here:

http://www.normalesup.org/~bli/Papers/Li_et_al_2009_RNF213.pdf

J.R., I suggest you to contact the authors of the paper. They may be of help.

HTH

ltdm

According to the previous classification Channa sp. were included under order Ophiocephaliformes i.e. Snakeheads.

But inclusion of Channa sp. under order Perciformes is according to the brain origin. As we worked on neuroanatomy of the brain of Channa gachua (Baile and Patle, 2011) it shows the exact perciform pattern of brain organization as found in Sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax ( JM Cerda-Reverter et al., 2001)

The peculiar characterstic of perciform sp. is having double dorsal fin with distinct spine. No one of channa sp. is having this phenotype, but shows same pattern of brain organization.

Go to this link- www.springerlink.com/index/2N9W27214H52772M.pdf