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Nematabramis borneensis

Inger & Chin, 1962Formerly Nematabramis alestes borneensis Inger & Chin, 1962

Last revised 2026Edit this page

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This species possesses longer barbels than the similar-looking N. alestes.
This species possesses longer barbels than the similar-looking N. alestes.Marco Endruweit

Quick factsEdit

Max size
105mm SL4in SL
Aquarium size
not recorded
Temp
not recorded
pH
not recorded
Hardness
not recorded

Difficulty3 of 8 measures

Moderate

How the rating is worked out

Space
medium tank
Water
unknown
Temp
unknown
Diet
unknown
Temperament
unknown
Social
needs to be in a group
Compatibility
fine with others

Other demands

Each of these can raise the rating on its own, whatever the measures above say.

Hardiness
unknown

Nematabramis borneensis is a cyprinid endemic to the Malaysian state of Sabah in northern Borneo. It looks particularly similar to N. alestes, sharing a dark lateral stripe, but is told apart immediately by its barbels, which are longer than the head.

Etymology

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Nematabramis: from the Ancient Greek νῆμᾰ (nêma), meaning 'thread', and presumably the generic name Abramis.

borneensis: ‘from Borneo’.

Distribution

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Found in the Malaysian state of Sabah in northern Borneo and in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Type locality is 'Kota Belud District, Kota Belud'.

Habitat

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Nematabramis species are found a variety of habitat-types, from swiftly-flowing tributary streams to pools, lakes, and degraded swamps.

Notes

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This species can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: barbels longer than head but not extending beyond pectoral-fin base; body relatively slender, depth fits 3.6-4.2 times in SL; head relatively long, length fits 3.8-4.1 times in SL; 8 branched dorsal-fin rays; 13-16 branched anal-fin rays; 8 scale rows between dorsal-fin origin and anal-fin origin.

It looks particularly similar to N. alestes with both species possessing a colour pattern comprising a dark lateral stripe on the body, but can be distinguished immediately by possessing barbels longer than the head (vs. shorter than the head in N. alestes).

References

  1. Inger, R. F. and P. K. Chin (1962). The fresh-water fishes of North Borneo. Fieldiana Zoology v.45, 1-268
  2. Kottelat, M. (2013). The fishes of the inland waters of southeast Asia: a catalogue and core bibiography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters, mangroves and estuaries. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 27, 1-663
  3. Martin-Smith, K. M. and H. H. Tan (1998). Diversity of freshwater fishes from eastern Sabah: annotated checklist for Danum Valley and a consideration of inter- and intra-catchment variability. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 46(2), 573-604

Species images · 2

This species possesses longer barbels than the similar-looking N. alestes.
This species possesses longer barbels than the similar-looking N. alestes.Marco Endruweit
Freshly-collected individual from Sabah.
Freshly-collected individual from Sabah.Zhou Hang

These photographs are used with each photographer's permission.

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Distribution

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Also missing: aquarium size, a common name, aquarium size notes, maintenance, water condition notes, diet, behaviour and compatibility, sexual dimorphism, reproduction.

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