Bronze featherback

The bronze featherback (Notopterus notopterus;  kandhuli, , , Vietnamese: Cá thát lát, Burmese: Nga Phal) is a fish in family Notopteridae found in South and Southeast Asia. Although primarily found in fresh water, it has been known to enter brackish water. At present it is the only member of its genus, but as currently defined it is likely a species complex.

Description

Young specimens are a dark bronze-like color that becomes lighter with age. The species reaches a length of up to .

The bronze featherback can easily be kept in an aquarium. Popular as food, this fish also appears in a stamp of the Kingdom of Laos.

As food
This fish is one of the fish species that has been used as food in Southeast Asia since ancient times. It is an important food item in Laos, Indonesia, and Thailand. It is preserved and prepared in different ways. Nam phrik pla salat pon (น้ำพริกปลาสลาดป่น) is a variety of nam phrik with minced roasted pla salat eaten along with raw vegetables. It is popular in Khorat.

Although much smaller in size, it is similar in appearance to the Chitala ornata, another important fish in Thai cuisine.

See also
List of Thai ingredients

References

External links

Category:Notopteridae
Category:Fish of Bangladesh
Category:Fish of Pakistan
Category:Fauna of Southeast Asia
Category:Monotypic fish genera
Category:Fish described in 1769