Betta mahachaiensis Kowasupat, Panijpan, Ruenwongsa & Sriwattanarothai, 2012
photo by Panitvong, N.

Family:  Osphronemidae (Gouramies), subfamily: Macropodusinae
Max. size:  4.37 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater; brackish; pH range: 6.87 - 7.8
Distribution:  Asia: Thailand.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-11; Anal spines: 3-4; Anal soft rays: 22-26. Distinguished from other species in the Betta splendens group by the combination of the following characters: opercle with two parallel iridescent green to bluish-green vertical bars; brown-to-black opercular membrane without red streaks or patches; dorsal, caudal, and anal fin rays brown to black contrasting with iridescent green or bluish-green interradial membranes; dorsal fin with at least its proximal two-thirds having transverse black bars; caudal fin without dark transverse bars, small black rounded marks flanking the internal rays on interradial membranes; pelvic fin brown to black with iridescent green/bluish-green front margin and white tip; an iridescent green to bluish-green appearance on the brown-to-black body background; head length 24.9-31.2% SL; postdorsal length 17.1-25.2% SL; length of dorsal fin base 12.2-19.3% SL; pelvic fin length 21.2-49.6%; pectoral fin length 15.4-21.3% SL; and orbit diameter 22.8-29.7% SL (Ref. 92085).
Biology:  Encountered in nipa palm (Nypa fruticans) swamps, especially in the water-holding phytotelma of the palm bract, which the pair use for bubble-nest building, courtship, and hatching of fry (Ref. 92085).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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