Introduction

The suborder includes three families, 19 genera and about 120 species (Nelson 2006). The group is confined to freshwaters of Africa to Asia. No species is native to Australia, and only two species are currently known to have established populations in the wild in Australia. The classification of the group is reviewed by Rüber (2009) and Rüber et al. (2006). Many of the species are found in the aquarium trade.

General References

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Rüber, L., Britz, R. & Zardoya, R. 2006. Molecular phylogenetics and evolutionary diversification of labyrinth fishes (Perciformes: Anabantoidei). Systematic Biology 55(3): 374–397

Rüber, L.. 2009. Labyrinth fishes (Anabantoidei). pp. 344-347 in Hedges, S.B. & Kumar, S. (eds.). The Timetree of Life. Oxford : Oxford University Press 772 pp.

History of changes

Introduction

The family of gouramies includes four subfamilies, 14 genera and about 90 species (Nelson 2006). Gouramies are found in freshwaters of Southeast Asia west to India. The current classification is based on work of Britz et al. (1995), Brits (2001), Rüber et al. (2006) and Rüber (2009).

The fishes are popular in the aquarium trade. Several species are imported into Australia, but only one was previously known to occur in the wild (Coerfield et al 2008), but recently a second species has been found (Larson et al. 2013)..

General References

Britz, R. 2001. The genus Betta—monophyly and intrarelationships, with remarks on the subfamilies Macropodinae and Luciocephalinae (Teleostei: Osphronemidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 12: 305–318

Britz, R., Kokoscha, M. & Riehl, R. 1995. The anabantoid genera Ctenops, Luciocephalus, Parasphaerichthys, and Sphaerichthys (Teleostei: Perciformes) as a monophyletic group: Evidence from egg surface. structure and reproductive behaviour. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 42: 71–79

Corfield, J., Diggles, B., Jubb, C., McDowall, R.M., Moore, A., Richards, A. & Rowe, D.K. 2008. Review of the impacts of introduced ornamental fish species that have established wild populations in Australia. Prepared for the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 277 pp.

Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Regan, C.T. 1910. The Asiatic fishes of the family Anabantidae. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1909(4): 767-787 [pl. 79]

Rüber, L., Britz, R. & Zardoya, R. 2006. Molecular phylogenetics and evolutionary diversification of labyrinth fishes (Perciformes: Anabantoidei). Systematic Biology 55(3): 374–397

Rüber, L.. 2009. Labyrinth fishes (Anabantoidei). pp. 344-347 in Hedges, S.B. & Kumar, S. (eds.). The Timetree of Life. Oxford : Oxford University Press 772 pp.

Common Name References

Low, B.W. & Lim, K.K.P. 2012. Gouramies of the genus Trichopodus in Singapore (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Osphronemidae). Nature in Singapore 5: 83-93 [83] (Gouramis)

History of changes

• Betta Bleeker, P. 1849. Bijdrage tot de kennis der ichthyologische fauna van Midden- en Oost-Java, met beschrijving van eenige nieuwe species. Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen 23(12): 1-23 [published in Journal in 1850, but reprints circulated in 1849] [14].

  Type species:

   Betta trifasciata Bleeker, 1859 by monotypy.

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Native to freshwaters of Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia)

IBRA

Darwin Coastal (DAC)

General References

Kottelat, M. 2013. The fishes of the inland waters of southeast Asia: a catalogue and core bibliography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters, mangroves and estuaries. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 27: 1-663

Tan, H.H. & Ng, P.K.L. 2005. The labyrinth fishes (Teleostei: Anabanatoidei, Channoidei) of Sumatra, Indonesia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 13: 115-138

History of changes

• Betta splendens Regan, C.T. 1910. The Asiatic fishes of the family Anabantidae. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1909(4): 767-787 [782].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH 1898.11.8.95, Mae Nam Chao Phraya (as Menam River), Thailand.
  Paralectotype(s) BMNH 1897.12.28.36; BMNH 1897.1.28.6-8; BMNH 1898.11.8.96-97; ZMA 114490.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Schaller, D. & Kottelat, M. 1989. Betta strohi sp. n., ein neuer Kampffisch aus Südborneo (Osteichthyes: Belontiidae). Datz Aquarien Terrarien 43(1): 31, 33-37 [36].

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Fogg Dam and Adelaide River, NT, tropical

Introduced from Asia, through aquarium trade.

IBRA

Darwin Coastal (DAC)

Common Name References

Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293 [56] (Siamese Fighting Fish)

History of changes

• Trichogaster Lacépède, B.G. 1801. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : chez Plassan Vol. 3 558 pp. 34 pls. [125].

  Type species:

   Labrus trichopterus Pallas, 1770 by subsequent designation, see Bleeker, P. 1879. Mémoire sur les poissons à pharyngiens labyrinthiformes de l'Inde archipélagique. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen [Verh. Akad. Amsterdam] 19(1): 1-56 [21].

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Introduced; Asia, tropical

IBRA

Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN)

General References

Britz, R. 2004. Why Colisa has become Trichogaster and Trichogaster is now Trichopodus. Labyrinth Newsletter 136: 6-7 [7]

Low, B.W. & Lim, K.K.P. 2012. Gouramies of the genus Trichopodus in Singapore (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Osphronemidae). Nature in Singapore 5: 83-93 [83]

Töpfer, J. & Schindler, I. 2009. On the type species of Trichopodus (Teleostei: Perciformes: Osphronemidae). Vertebrate Zoology 59(1): 49-51

History of changes

• Labrus trichopterus Pallas, P.S. 1770. Spicilegia Zoologica, quibus novae imprimus et obscurae animalium species iconibus, descriptionibus atque commentariis illustrantur. Berlin Tom. 1 Fasc. 8 54 pp. 5 pls. [45].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown, Java and Ambon Island, Indonesia.

Generic Combinations

• Trichogaster trichopterus (Pallas, 1770). —
  Bloch, M.E. & Schneider, J.G. 1801. Systema Ichthyologiae Iconibus ex Illustratum. Berlin 584 pp. 110 pls. [164] (changed combination with description of the genus)
• Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770). —
  Lacépède, B.G. 1801. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : chez Plassan Vol. 3 558 pp. 34 pls. [125] (changed combination with naming of genus)

Introduction

There has been some confusion relating to type species designation over the generic placement of this species, with some authors placing in Trichogaster (see Kottelat 2013).

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

A popular aquarium fish introduced into Australia and presently known from Ross River (19º18'S, 146º47'E) and creeks, near Townsville and lower reaches of the Burdekin River (19º52'S, 147º15'E), QLD; tropical

Introduced from Asia, through aquarium trade.

IBRA

Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN)

General References

Corfield, J., Diggles, B., Jubb, C., McDowall, R.M., Moore, A., Richards, A. & Rowe, D.K. 2008. Review of the impacts of introduced ornamental fish species that have established wild populations in Australia. Prepared for the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 277 pp.

Harris, J.H. 2013. 11. Fishes from elsewhere. pp. 259-282 in Humphries, P. & Walker, K. (eds). Ecology of Australian Freshwater Fishes. Collingwood, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 423 pp. [265]

Kottelat, M. 2013. The fishes of the inland waters of southeast Asia: a catalogue and core bibliography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters, mangroves and estuaries. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 27: 1-663 [457]

Parenti, L.R. & Lim, K.K.P. 2005. Fishes of the Rajang Basin, Sarawak, Malaysia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 13: 175-208 [195]

Roberts, T.R. 1989. The freshwater fishes of western Borneo (Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia). Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 14: 1-210 [177]

Webb, A.C. 2007. Status of non-native freshwater fishes in tropical northern Queensland, including establishment success, rates of spread, range and introduction pathways. Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 140: 63–78 [64]

Common Name References

McKay, R.J. 1984. Introductions of exotic fishes in Australia. pp. 177-199 in Courtnay, W.R. Jr & Staffer, J.R. Jr (eds). Distribution, Biology and Management of Exotic Fishes. Baltimore : John Hopkins University Press. (Blue Grourami, Golden Gourami, Opaline Gourami)

Pethiyagoda, R. 1991. Freshwater fishes of Sri Lanka. Colombo : The Wildlife Heritage Trust of Sri Lanka 362 pp. [270] (Three Spot Gourami)

History of changes