Betta siamorientalis Kowasupat, Panijpan, Ruenwongsa & Jeenthong, 2012

Family:  Osphronemidae (Gouramies), subfamily: Macropodusinae
Max. size:  3.61 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Thailand and Cambodia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 1-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-11; Anal spines: 3-5; Anal soft rays: 21-25. Can be diagnosed from other members of the Betta splendens group by having the following combination of characters: dark-brown to black body; black opercle with two parallel reddish vertical bars; red patches on dark brown to black opercular membrane; caudal fin rays with distal red crescent and thin black edge; no dark transverse bars on caudal fin; distal half of posterior anal fin rays red with a small red patch at distal tip; black and red from proximal pelvic fin base to the white tip (Ref. 93122).
Biology:  Inhabits shallow freshwater marshes, grass fields, and paddy fields. Found at the water edge (with dense vegetation) of ponds, lagoons, ditches, canals, and others water ways. Occurs in still waters and uses water plants as shelter to set up safe territory for building the bubble-nest, courtship, and hatching of fry. Cohabits with Trichopsis vittata, Trichopsis schalleri, Trichopsis pumila, Trichopodus trichopterus, Anabas testudineus, Lepidocephalichthys hasselti, Pangio anguillaris , Macrognathus siamensis, and Monopterus albus (Ref. 93122).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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