
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
- SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Actinopterygii
- Order: Perciformes
- Suborder: Channoidei
- Family: Channidae
- Species: Channa marulioides
The Emperor snakehead has the family trait of jutting jaw and dark front facing eyes. Colour is brown/gold-tinted to dark brown with white belly. Its got large black blotches edged with white and white dots on tail.

In Thailand you will have to travel to the South to target this rare snakehead species. A hard fish to catch specifically, most anglers encounter them by accident when actually fishing for the Giant snakehead (Channa micropeltes). Channa marulioides does not grow very large 2 Kg would be a huge specimen and the catch of a lifetime but they do pack a lot of power into a smaller frame, their initial hit and run is fierce and will have even the tightest drag straining. Being ambush predators the Emperor snakehead dwels close to submerged snags and obstacles and is especially fond of undercut roots which provide good cover for ambushing prey from all directions. Best methods are topwater lures for excitement, cast tight to margins and close to tree stumps and submerged bamboo as possible, also diving lures such as Rapala's cast to the same areas can be effective.