Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0 - 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 10; Anal spines: 1 - 2; Anal soft rays: 24 - 26; Vertebrae: 28 - 31. A member of the Betta pugnax species group that can be differentiated from other members by the following combination of characters: presence of chin-bar; absence of dark marks below postorbital stripe on opercle; presence of dorsal transverse bars; caudal transverse bars present only in male; greenish to bluish iridescent scales on opercle and body; red subdistal band and black edge on anal fin; absence of dark edge on caudal fin; anal fin rays 25-28 (mode 26); lateral scales 28-31 (mode 29); postdorsal scales 11-12 (mode 11); pelvic fin length 26.6-43.8% SL; head length 27.5-35.2% SL; inter-orbital width 32.4-53.0% HL (Ref. 56613).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Anabantiformes

Family: Osphronemidae

Genus: Betta

Species: Betta pugnax (Cantor, 1849)

Climate Zone

Location

• Asia: Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

Biology

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Occurs in small fast flowing forest streams (Ref. 13061). Inhabits mainly overhanging bank vegetation, submerged leaf litter and exposed roots of bank vegetation (Ref. 13220, 56613). Mouth brooder (Ref. 13061).

Habitat

benthopelagic

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless