Fishes of Afghanistan; a revised and updated annotated checklist Author Çiçek, Erdoğan Author Fricke, Ronald 0000-0003-1476-6990 Author Eagderi, Soheil 0000-0002-1134-0356 Author Sungur, Sevil 0000-0003-4018-6375 Author Coad, Brian W 0000-0002-7232-961X Author Hamdard, Mohammad Hamid 0000-0002-5915-6574 erdogancicek@nevsehir.edu.tr text Zootaxa 2023 2023-06-16 5305 1 1 69 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5305.1.1 journal article 56221 10.11646/zootaxa.5305.1.1 c640363c-14f9-4912-8a38-2948ab4946f1 1175-5326 8048564 55EB7903-BB1A-45F9-9660-16DAF957C67A Channa orientalis Bloch & Schneider, 1801 [I] Spotted snakehead Taxonomy. Original description: Ophicephalus orientalis Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 496 , pl. 90 (lower fig.) [Probably southwestern Sri Lanka [East Indies]; No types known. Type catalog: Paepke 1993:255 ].— Afghanistan synonyms: None.—Revisions: None.—Illustration: Bloch & Schneider (1801 : pl. 90, lower fig.) as Ophicephalus orientalis . Status in Afghanistan . First record from Talwar and Jhingram (1991).—Afghanistan material: CMN. Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Afghanistan : Kabul River.—General distribution:South Asia:southwestern Sri Lanka endemic.—Habitat: This species inhabits freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, and tanks, generally in the plains, and is also found in rice fields and irrigation channels. Adults prefer stagnant waters in muddy streams and breed throughout the year. Freshwater. Economic importance. Locally consumed, but of no commercial importance. Reasons of introduction. Ornamental fish industry. Conservation. Not relevant (introduced species).