| Dawkinsia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Dawkinsia exclamatio | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Subfamily: | Barbinae |
| Genus: | Dawkinsia Pethiyagoda, Meegaskumbura & Maduwage, 2012 |
| Type species | |
| Leuciscus filamentosus Valenciennes, 1844
| |
Dawkinsia is a genus of cyprinid fishes from freshwater in South India and Sri Lanka. It was split off (i.e., reclassified) from genus Puntius in 2012.[1]
Dawkinsia is named after the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in recognition of his "contribution to the public understanding of science, particularly, of evolutionary science".[2][1]: p.80 Dawkins describes this as "a great honour".[3]
Adults typically measure 8–12 cm (3.1–4.7 in) SL. They do not have rostral barbels but might have maxillary barbels. Juveniles have a colour pattern consisting of three black bars on body; this persists to adult stage in some species. Adults have a black, horizontally elongate blotch on the caudal peduncle.[1]: p.80
There are currently eleven recognized species in this genus:[4]