Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, 1787) [N]—Striped eel catfish

Taxonomy. Original description: Silurus lineatus Thunberg, 1787: 31, footnote 13 [ Eastern Indian Ocean; holotype: ZMUU P 28555].— Iraq synonyms: None.—Revisions: None.—Illustration: Randall (2005: 61, fig.) .

Status in Iraq. First record from Iraq by Mahdi (1962); confirmed by Al-Nasiri & Shamsul Hoda (1976), Nader & Jawdat (1977). — Iraq materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Iraq: Persian Gulf.—General distribution: Red Sea; Indo-West Pacific: KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa, Persian Gulf, Socotra (Yemen), Seychelles, Madagascar and Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues) east to Samoa and Tonga, north to southern Korea, southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Rottnest Island (Western Australia), Lord Howe Island (Australia) and New Caledonia; eastern Mediterranean Sea (Red Sea immigrant).—Habitat: This species is an estuarine dependent species found mainly on sandy and muddy grounds in shallow coastal waters. Brackish, marine.

Economic importance. Commercially important. Valuable for the aquarium trade.

Conservation. Conservation Status in Iraq: Unknown.—IUCN: NE (2023).—Threats: Unknown.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered as a keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.—Low priority for conservation action.