Kelani basin

This species is also traded/referred to by the vernacular name 'Ceylon fighting fish'. It differs from its only congener, B. hasselti, by its overall reddish (vs. brownish-grey) body colouration, and absence (vs. presence) of a mosaic-like patterning in the unpaired fins. At least three putative phenotypes have been recorded. The nominative, and commonest, mostly inhabits clear streams in rainier zones...

Endemic to southwestern Sri Lanka where it appears restricted to the so-called ‘wet zone’ (see 'Habitat'). Confirmed localities are all within the Bentota and Kelani river systems and Kottawa Forest Reserve in Galle district, Southern Province. Type locality is given simply as 'Habitat in India orientale' and this appears to have caused confusion regarding the species' distribution with it of...

Wild examples are rarely-seen in the aquarium hobby although selectively-bred ornamental strains are widely-available for which care is identical. These are normally traded as 'red' or 'yellow' chromide and have a solid yellow-orange colour pattern with no dark elements. It exhibits a widespread sympatry with the con...

This species is also referred to as 'Kretser's paradisefish' and 'spotted gourami'. There exist three colour forms, two of which exhibit a greater degree of reddish or violet pigmentation in the fins, respectively. The third is more bluish and was described as M. kretseri minor by Deraniyagala (1958).

Little sun is able to penetrate the forest floor so aquatic habitats are shaded and water temperature may be relatively cool, while conductivity and hardness are generally low and pH slightly acid. Macrophytes are uncommon though there may be dense, marginal vegetation, sometimes overhanging the full width of the stream, the roots of which may penetrate the banks underwater. Typical substrates are sandy but covered by a layer of leaf litter with fallen twigs and branches.

This species was considered a colour form of the related Pethia cumingii prior to its description. It can be told apart from P. cumingii by the following combination of characters: maximum standard length 33.6 mm (vs. 41.2 mm); smaller eye diameter (9.8-10.5, vs. 10.8-12.1 % SL); 11+13 (vs. 11+15) vertebrae; cleithrum with a single spine (vs. smooth); proximal arm of fifth ceratobranchial with an oval...

This species is most easily told apart from its only congener P. dayi by lacking (vs. possessing) two dark, irregular lateral stripes on the head and body, and a shorter caudal-fin in males. The results of phylogenetic analyses by Rüber et al. (2006) suggest that Pseudosphromenus is most closely-related to Malpulutta in an evolutionary sense.

P. chola was retained in Puntius sensu stricto, of which members are defined by the following combination of characters: adult size usually less than 120 mm SL; maxillary barbels absent or present; rostral barbels absent; 3-4 unbranched and 8 branched dorsal-fin rays; 3 unbranched and 5 branched anal-fin rays; last unbranched dorsal-fin ray weak or strong and unserrated; lateral line complete with 22-28 pored body scales...

As of 2006 only 4.6% of the old forest was left with the remainder existing only in small, highly-fragmented patches, most covering areas less than 10 km², of which some are now officially-protected reserves. Kottawa Forest is one of these and comprises just 15-20 hectares of wet, evergreen jungle, though the combined Kottawa-Kombala forest covers around 1600 ha. A number of minor, pristine streams...

This species is euryhaline and mostly inhabits brackish estuaries, coastal lagoons and the lower reaches of rivers. It also occurs in freshwater habitats, however, including a number of inland lakes in Sri Lanka although it appears to have been introduced intentionally.

Prior to its description P. kamalika was referred to as P. amphibius, a putatively valid species probably restricted to western India. It differs from all congeners in the following combination of characters: 4½/1/2½ scales in a transverse line between the mid-dorsal...