International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.3, 144-152 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 146 example, the C. kelaartii, which is unique to Sri Lanka, was long considered a variant of the widely distributed C. gachua. A 2019 study re established the effective species status of C. kelaartii through molecular evidence, solving a 146 year long classification puzzle (Praveenraj et al., 2020). Figure 1 Discovery of a new species of snakehead fish (Channa shingon) in Kachin State, Myanmar and its ecological characteristics (Adopted from Htoo et al., 2025) Image caption: (A) Collection site and natural habitat of Channa shingon in Kachin State, Myanmar; (B) lateral view and coloration of a live specimen in an aquarium; and vouchered specimen views showing; (C) lateral with pectoral fin pattern; (D) dorsal; and (E) ventral with lower side of head and thorax perspectives of C. shingon(Adopted from Htoo et al., 2025) 2.3 Current status of phylogenetic research The relationships among different snakehead fish species have long been a focus of research. Early studies primarily relied on a small number of mitochondrial genes (Pamenter et al., 2020). In recent years, technological advances have led to a greater diversity of research methods. Scientists have begun utilizing richer genomic information (e.g., COI, cytochrome b) and nuclear genes (e.g., RAG1, rhodopsin genes) to improve the reliability of phylogenetic signals (Britz et al., 2024). Furthermore, the application of technologies such as RAD-seq and whole-genome sequencing has enabled more refined phylogenetic reconstructions (Ou et al., 2021). Britz et al. (2020) conducted a study on large snakehead fish that lasted for over three years. They analyzed approximately 5kb of genetic material and classified the snakehead fish into 8 major groups based on their habitat. The northern group is represented by the Argus group, while the southern group includes the Asiatica group. There are three groups in Southeast Asia: Striata, Lucius, and Gachua. The main groups in South Asia are Marulius and Punctata (Britz et al., 2020; Huang et al., 2022). This is basically consistent with the classification method of scientists based on appearance in the past, but there are also some differences. Some small "dwarf" snakehead fish with similar appearances are not actually close relatives (Britz et al., 2020). 3 Phylogenetic Reconstruction of Snakeheads and Species Evolution 3.1 Molecular markers and phylogenetic analysis methods The molecular markers used for the phylogenetic reconstruction of the Blackfish genus mainly include mitochondrial genes and nuclear genes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Mitochondrial DNA,
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