Puntius | |
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Puntius sophore | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cypriniformes |
Family: | Cyprinidae |
Subfamily: | Smiliogastrinae |
Genus: | Puntius Hamilton, 1822 |
Type species | |
Cyprinus sophore Hamilton, 1822 | |
Species | |
See text |
Puntius is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae native to South Asia and Mainland Southeast Asia, as well as Taiwan. [1]
Many species formerly placed in Puntius have been moved to other genera such as Barbodes , Dawkinsia , Desmopuntius , Haludaria , Oliotius , Pethia , Puntigrus , Sahyadria and Systomus . [2] [3] [4]
Previously, it was assumed that the earliest record of this genus was the fossil species Puntius bussyi from the Eocene of Sumatra, but a 2020 study reclassified this species into the new genus Pauciuncus , possibly in the subfamily Smiliogastrinae. [5]
The name Puntius comes from Pungti (Pronounced Puti), a Bangla term for small cyprinids.
Fishes of the genus Puntius are found in South Asia (west to Pakistan and south to Sri Lanka) and Mainland Southeast Asia, with a single species, P. snyderi , in Taiwan. [1] [2] The greatest species richness is in India. [1]
The maximum size for an adult of this genus is 25 cm (10 in), but most species reach 7–15 cm (2.8–5.9 in) and some species do not surpass 5 cm (2 in). [1] In appearance they may resemble miniature carp and are sometimes brightly coloured or patterned. [1]
These fishes are omnivorous; their diet includes small invertebrates and plant matter. Breeding is by egg scattering and takes place close to the bottom, near or within areas of dense plant growth. They do not show parental care and adults may eat the young.
Historically, many species of Puntius have been classified in several genera, including Barbus . Despite the reclassifications, the specific epithet remains the same in these – except in cases of homonymies – as Barbus and Puntius have the same grammatical gender. The closest living relatives of the spotted barbs are the genus Cyprinion and perhaps the genus Capoeta . These and the other "typical" barbs and barbels were formerly often separated as subfamily Barbinae, but this group is highly paraphyletic with regard to the Cyprininae and better merged there at least for the largest part (including Puntius). In particular the genus Barbonymus , containing the tinfoil barb and its relatives – for some time included in Puntius– appears to be a kind of carp that has evolved convergently with barbs.
This genus is classified within the subfamily Smiliogastrinae by Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes . [6]
These are the currently recognized species in this genus:
The rosy barb is a subtropical freshwater cyprinid fish found in southern Asia from Afghanistan to Bangladesh.
Barbus is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. The type species of Barbus is the common barbel, first described as Cyprinus barbus and now named Barbus barbus. Barbus is the namesake genus of the subfamily Barbinae, but given their relationships, that taxon is better included in the Cyprininae at least for the largest part.
The cherry barb is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka, and introduced populations have become established in Mexico and Colombia. The cherry barb was named Puntius titteya by Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala in 1929. Synonyms include Barbus titteya and Capoeta titteya. It is the only species in the genus Rohanella.
The black ruby barb or purplehead barb is a tropical cyprinid fish endemic to Sri Lanka, where it occurs in forested streams from the Kelani basin to the Nilwala basin. They are found in streams on hills around 1000 ft in elevation. The brightly colored population introduced to Mahaweli at Ginigathena, Sri Lanka, is said to have diminished in number due to the aquarium export trade.
The ticto barb or twospot barb is a species of subtropical freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. It is a native of the upper Mekong, Salwen, Irrawaddy, Meklong and upper Charo Phraya basins in the countries of Nepal, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. It has frequently been confused with the Odessa barb in the aquarium trade, but in that species the male is reddish-orange.
Rasbora is a genus of fish in the family Cyprinidae. They are native to freshwater habitats in South and Southeast Asia, as well as southeast China. A single species, R. gerlachi, is only known from an old specimen that reputedly originated from Africa (Cameroon), but this locality is considered doubtful. They are small, up to 17 cm (6.7 in) long, although most species do not surpass 10 cm (4 in) and many have a dark horizontal stripe.
The greenstripe barb, silver barb or striped barb is a tropical freshwater and brackish ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, the family which includes the carps, barbs and related fishes. This species is found in South Asia. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Bhava.
Mystus is a genus of fish in the family Bagridae native to Asia. Phylogenetic relationships within this genus are poorly understood, though it has been suggested that there are two major lineages.
Pethia bandula, commonly known as bandula barb, is a species of cyprinid endemic to Sri Lanka where it is only known from near Galapitamada in the Warakapola Divisional Secretariat. As this critically endangered species only was known from a single unprotected site where the population consists of an estimated 1,000 individuals, a second "insurance population" was established in 2014 by a team of IUCN scientists in cooperation with Sri Lanka's Forest Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and local communities.
Pethia cumingii, known as the Cuming's barb or the two spot barb, is a species of cyprinid fish endemic to Sri Lanka.
Dawkinsia filamentosa, the filament barb, or poovali paral is a species of barb. Young fish have barely any color and black spots. They start having more color at three months old. The fish is a swift swimmer. Males are larger than females and they fertilize eggs by swimming into the cloud of eggs. The species is most commonly found in coastal floodplains near the Southwest Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. This species is also known as blackspot barb.
Dawkinsia assimilis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Dawkinsia. It is endemic to the southern Western Ghats especially to the Southwest Indian states of Karnataka and Kerala. They are known as Mascara Barb. Filament barbs are a group of small freshwater fishes found in the rivers of peninsular India and Sri Lanka. There are nine species known under the genus Dawkinsia. These barbs are popular among aquarium hobbyists as an ornamental fish and are also collected from rivers and bred for trade.
Pethia reval, the red-finned barb, or redfin two-banded carplet, is a species of cyprinid fish endemic to Sri Lanka. This species can reach a length of 3.4 centimetres (1.3 in) SL.
Rohan David Pethiyagoda is a Sri Lankan biodiversity scientist, amphibian and freshwater-fish taxonomist, author, conservationist and public-policy advocate.
Dawkinsia is a genus of cyprinid fishes from freshwater in South India and Sri Lanka. It was split off from genus Puntius in 2012.
Pethia is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae native to South Asia, East Asia and Mainland Southeast Asia. Some species are commonly seen in the aquarium trade. The name Pethia is derived from the Sinhalese "pethia", a generic word used to describe any of several small species of cyprinid fishes. Most members of this genus were included in Puntius, until it was revised in 2012.
Haludaria is a genus of cyprinids native to freshwater habitats in the Western Ghats of India. Originally the genus was named DravidiaPethiyagoda, Meegaskumbura & Maduwage, 2012 which is preoccupied by the dipteran genus DravidiaLehrer, 2010.
Pethia melanomaculata, the Tic-tac-toe barb, is a species of cyprinid fish endemic to Sri Lanka.
Dawkinsia rohani is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Dawkinsia. It is endemic to the Western Ghats and inhabits the hill streams of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu draining into the Arabian Sea.
Smiliogastrinae is a subfamily of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the famly Cyprinidae, the family which includes the carps, barbs and relalted fishes. The fishes in this genus are found in Africa and Asia and are commonly referred to as barbs.