Krabi mouth-brooding betta
Krabi mouth-brooding betta | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anabantiformes |
Family: | Osphronemidae |
Genus: | Betta |
Species: | B. simplex
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Binomial name | |
Betta simplex Kottelat, 1994
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The Krabi mouth-brooding betta, Betta simplex, is a
Description
The Krabi mouth-brooding betta is an oblong fish with rounded fins, growing to a length of about 8 cm (3 in). The basic colour is yellowish-brown or greyish-brown with three faint longitudinal stripes. The gill-cover has a bluish-green patch and the fins have a blue iridescence. The pelvic fins are short and the anal fin long, with a dark margin. The caudal-fin is rounded and undivided.[2]
Distribution and habitat
This species is known from a single location in
Ecology
Bettas are known as anabantids because they have a special lung-like labyrinthine organ in its head which enables them to obtain oxygen direct from the air. For this reason, they can live in water with very little dissolved oxygen, and can survive out of water for a short time as long as they remain damp. They are also efficient jumpers.[4]
The Krabi mouth-brooding betta probably feeds on insects, crustaceans, other small invertebrates and zooplankton. This fish is a paternal mouth brooder; the male fish takes the fertilised eggs into his mouth and keeps them there until they hatch.[3]
Status
B. simplex has a very small total area of occurrence which puts it at risk from habitat destruction by run-off of chemicals from agricultural land and by tourism. This species is also threatened by over-exploitation, with fish being collected for the
References
- ^ . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2013). "Betta simplex" in FishBase. April 2013 version.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-86713-157-4.
- ISBN 978-1-4116-9365-4.