Vertebrate Zoology 62(3): 387-397, doi:

Betta siamorientalis, a new species of bubble-nest building fighting fish (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) from eastern Thailand

Chanon Kowasupat, Bhinyo Panijpan, Pintip Ruenwongsa, adsanai Jeenthong

Corresponding author: Bhinyo Panijpan ( bhinyop@gmail.com )

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Citation: Kowasupat C, Panijpan B, Ruenwongsa P, Jeenthong (2012) Betta siamorientalis, a new species of bubble-nest building fighting fish (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) from eastern Thailand. Vertebrate Zoology 62(3): 387-397

Abstract

Betta siamorientalis sp. n., a new species of fighting fish belonging to the Betta splendens group, inhabiting four provinces in the eastern Thailand, is described. The combination of slender body shape with reddish vertical bars on the black opercle and an apparent black body distinguishes the new species from other congeners especially B. imbellis. The blacker appearance relative to B. imbellis is due to a higher proportion of black body area relative to that occupied by blue/green iridescence of the scales. Based on morphological similarity and fin colour pattern and vertical bar colour on the opercle, the new species appears to be more closely related to B. imbellis and B. splendens than other members of the B. splendens group.

Keywords

Betta siamorientalis sp. n., Black imbellis, Bubble-nesting fighting fish, Thailand