Ron's Critter of the Day

TAXONOMY:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnows or Carps)

Genus/species: Puntius titteya

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: An elongated fish with a compressed body, fawn-colored on top with a slight greenish sheen. Sides and belly have silver highlights with a horizontal stripe extending from the tip of the snout through the eye to the base of the caudal fin, with an iridescent, metallic line above it. Males are redder than females and attain a deeper red color at breeding time. Females are usually yellow and they are much lighter in color, usually just with some yellow and a light orange/black horizontal band. The female is also a lot plumper than the male. Cherry refers to the fish’s red color. Max. length: 5 cm (2 inches).

Male above and female below.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Native to Sri Lanka with introduced populations established in Mexico
and Colombia. Found in heavily shaded streams and rivulets, preferring shallow, slow-moving water with silt substrate and leaf cover.

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivorous, detritus, green algae, diatoms, dipterans and animal matter.

REPRODUCTION: Most small cyprinids Puntius spp. are egg-scattering free spawners exhibiting no parental care.

CONSERVATION IUCN: Least concern

BO09 Rainforest Borneo Southeast Asia Community

References

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/Puntius-titteya.html

Encyclopedia of Life eol.org/pages/212437/details

Ron’s flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3729700826/in/set-72157620567930293/

Ron’s WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-17f