Macrognathus

Britz, Ralf, 2010, Macrognathus aureus, a new spiny eel of the M. aculeatus species group from the Upper Ayeyarwaddy River Drainage, Myanmar (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Mastacembelidae), Zootaxa 2514, pp. 55-60 : 59

Key to species of Macrognathus in Myanmar

1 28–31 dorsal-fin spines; ventral side of rostrum lacking series of paired rostral toothplates; colour pattern consisting of series of narrow black bars along body .................................................................................................. M. zebrinus

- 4–22 dorsal-fin spines, ventral side of rostrum with 6–24 pairs of rostral toothplates; colour pattern different, with either a series of ocelli, blotches, or spots or no markings along dorsal-fin base......................................................... 2

2 4–6 dorsal fin spines .......................................................................................................................................... M. pavo

- 11–22 dorsal fin spines ................................................................................................................................................. 3

3 11–16 dorsal-fin spines ......................................................................................................................... M. morehensis

- 17–22 dorsal-fin spines................................................................................................................................................ 4

4 19–24 rostral toothplates .................................................................................................................... M. dorsiocellatus

- 8–10 rostral toothplates................................................................................................................................................ 5

5 8–11 dark, white-rimmed blotches along dorsal fin, of which some confluent with lateral blotches ........... M. aureus

- no white-rimmed blotches or other dark markings along dorsal-fin base, but sometimes with series of tiny spots ...... ................................................................................................................................................................... M. obscurus