Saddle Barb (Barbodes sellifer)
 |
| A small Saddle Barb found resting at the bottom of a slow-moving forest stream. |
Family: Cyprinidae
Common Name: Saddle Barb
Presence in Singapore: Native
Habitat: Freshwater streams and catchments.
Conservation Status: Vulnerable (Red Data Book 3)
Formerly thought to be Barbodes banksi, it was described as Barbodes sellifer in 2021. The Saddle Barb can grow up to around 14cm and is widespread throughout our nature reserves. It can be found in forest streams, catchments and even some canals in the vicinity of forests.
They are schooling fish and can be found mixing with other fishes like the Elegant Rasbora (Rasbora elegans) as seen on the left. This omnivorous species feed around the bottom by using their short barbels to look for food in the sediment.
They are schooling fish and can be found mixing with other fishes like the Elegant Rasbora (Rasbora elegans) as seen on the left. This omnivorous species feed around the bottom by using their short barbels to look for food in the sediment.
The Saddle Barb can be confused with the similar-looking but introduced Rhombic Barb (Barbodes rhombeus), which has made their way into urban water bodies and some forest streams, potentially displacing or mixing with the native species. The key difference is that the Saddle Barb's patch is much longer and wider than the Rhombic Barb's.
 | ||
A small Saddle Barb found in a roadside stream displaying the distinct patch.
|
(All photographs by Lumin Ong)
References
- Kottelat, M. and Lim, K.K.P. 2021. Two new species of Barbodes from the Malay Peninsula and comments on 'cryptic species' in the B. binotatus group (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356987794.
- Lim, K.P. and Ng, K.L. 1990. A Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre.
- National Parks Board (NParks). Freshwater Fishes. Retrieved from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature/species-list/freshwater-fishes.
No comments:
Post a Comment