Ornate paradisefish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Osphronemidae
Subfamily: Macropodusinae
Genus: Malpulutta
Deraniyagala, 1937
Species:
M. kretseri
Binomial name
Malpulutta kretseri

The ornate paradisefish (Malpulutta kretseri) or spotted gourami, is a species of gourami endemic to Sri Lanka.[1][2] It is the only recognized species in its genus.[3]

It inhabits shallow, slow-flowing streams in forested areas shaded with plentiful vegetation near the edges and a substrate covered by leaf litter. It is a carnivore, preying on plankton, fish fry, and the larvae of insects. They can reach a length of 4 cm (1.6 in), though most are only around 2 cm (0.79 in). This species can also occasionally be found in the aquarium trade,[2] where it is reportedly exceedingly shy. The specific name of this fish honours the Sri Lankan lawyer and judge Oswald Leslie De Kretser II.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Kotagama, O.; de Alwis Goonatilake, S.; Fernado, M. (2019). "Malpulutta kretseri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T12726A117405689. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12726A117405689.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2014). "Malpulutta kretseri" in FishBase. February 2014 version.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2021). Species of Malpulutta in FishBase. February 2021 version.
  4. ^ Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (21 October 2019). "Order ANABANTIFORMES: Families ANABANTIDAE, HELOSTOMATIDAE, OSPHRONEMIDAE, CHANNIDAE, NANDIDAE, BADIDAE, and PRISTOLEPIDIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 18 December 2019.


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