Plotosus lineatus
| Plotosus lineatus | |
|---|---|
| Adult Plotosus lineatus in Zanzibar, Tanzania | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Plotosidae |
| Genus: | Plotosus |
| Species: | P. lineatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, 1787)
| |
| Synonyms | |
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Plotosus lineatus, commonly known as the striped eel catfish, is a species of catfish belonging to the eeltail family Plotosidae. Like most other members of the genus, this species possesses highly venomous spines that can be used to sting when threatened; the venom can cause mild to severe symptoms in humans. This species is native to the Indo-Pacific but is now present in the Mediterranean via Lessepsian migration through the Suez Canal.