Hampala macrolepidota

Hampala macrolepidota
Immature (18 cm or 7 in long) above, juvenile (3.5 cm or 1.5 in long) below
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Hampala
Species:	H. macrolepidota
Binomial name
Hampala macrolepidota Kuhl & van Hasselt, 1823
Synonyms
Capoeta macrolepidota Valenciennes, 1842 Barbus macrolepidotus(Valenciennes, 1842) Hampala macrolepidota(Valenciennes, 1842) Barbus hampal Günther, 1868 Heteroleuciscus jullieni Sauvage, 1874

Hampala macrolepidota, the hampala barb, is a relatively large southeast Asian species of cyprinid from the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, as well as Peninsular Malaysia and the Greater Sundas (Borneo, Java and Sumatra). ^{[1] [2]} It prefers running rivers and streams, but can be seen in most freshwater habitats except torrents, small creeks and shallow swamps. ^[2] This predatory species reaches up to 70 cm (2.3 ft) in length and it is common at half that size. ^[2]

As food

This fish is one of the fish species that has been used as food in Southeast Asia since ancient times. ^[3]

Although it is an important food fish, it remains abundant in at least parts of its range, resulting in a Least Concern rating by the IUCN. ^[1]

References

1. Ahmad, A.B. (2019). "Hampala macrolepidota". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019 e.T181255A1714119. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T181255A1714119.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Hampala macrolepidota". FishBase . March 2015 version.
3. Charles Higham, A. Kijnga ed. The Origins of the Civilization of Angkor: Volume VI The Iron Age. page 43. IV 'The Fish Remains'