Trichogaster fasciata, Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Das, Mrinal Kumar & Sivaperuman, C., 2025, First record of two freshwater fishes, Trichogaster fasciata Bloch and Schneider, 1801 (Anabantiformes: Osphronemidae) and Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769) (Osteoglossiformes: Notopteridae) from Andaman Islands, India, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 125 (2), pp. 193-199 : 194-196

Trichogaster fasciata, Bloch & Schneider, 1801

1801, Trichogaster fasciata Bloch & Schneider , Systema

Ichthyologiae, 164, Pl. 36 (Type locality: Tranquebar/ Tharangambadi, India). Day , 1876, Fishes of India:374, pl.78, fig 6; Day ,1889, Fauna of Br. India, Fishes, 2:372, fig.123 .

Material examined: ZSI/ANRC/ M 29797 , 3ex, (SL 34.32–

45.38 mm), Ramkrishna Pur Dam 16 KM, Little Andaman Island (Lat: 10° 41’ 58.5096’’ N and Long: 92° 33’ 42.2372’’ E), 10.02.2024, Coll: Mrinal Kumar Das .

ZSI/ ANRC /M-29804, 3 ex, (SL 60.23–87.29 mm), Rabindra Nagar Dam 28 KM, Little Andaman Island (Lat: 10° 42’ 28.9854’’ N and Long: 92° 31’ 59.5956’’ E)

12.02.2024, Coll: Mrinal Kumar Das.

Meristic characters: D XVI-XVII/ 10-13; A XVI I-

XVIII114-16; P 9-10; V 1

Description: A total of six specimens ranging from

44.7 mm to 87.3 mm TL (total length) were used for morphometric and meristic studies. Body elongated and strongly compressed, its depth at dorsal origin 30.0-49.5% SL. Head small, blunt its length ranges from 29.8-33.5% SL. Head depth ranges from 22.1-31.2% SL. The mouth is small and slightly protrusible, and the upper lip is thick and papillose. The nostrils lie at the anterior superior angle of the eyes. Dorsal and abdominal profiles are equally convex. The dorsal fin is long with its soft part pointed. Pre-dorsal distance ranges from 32.9-39.1 and pre-pelvic distance ranges from 29.7-35.8 in %SL. The filamentous pelvic fin extends beyond the base of the caudal fin. Caudal fin truncate, scales large 29 to 31 in longitudinal series, anal fin scaly at base only. Dorsal fin length 26.9-63.6% SL; Pectoral fin extends up to 10 th anal fin spines. The length of the pectoral fin ranges from 25.4-

34.7 in % SL. Length and depth of the caudal peduncle range from 8.8-14.8 and 13.8-16.9% SL, respectively. Eye diameter ranges from 7.9-1.4 %SL; inter-orbital width ranges 11.7-19.4 in %SL. Ctenoid scales are present in the body. Dorsal fin with xvi –xvii + 10 – 13 rays, anal fin with xvii – xviii + 14-16 rays, pectoral fin with 9-10 rays, pelvic fin long with a single ray reaching to caudal base.

Colour: Greenish with bluish vertical bars descending obliquely downwards and backwards from back to back to the anal fin. Vertical fins are with alternate dark and pale spots or bars; anal fins often with a red margin. ( Fig. 2 ).

Distribution: Trichogaster fasciatus is distributed from India: Nainital ( Uniyal & Uniyal, 2021), Uttar Pradesh ( Khan, 2000), Nagaland ( Ezung et al., 2020), Assam ( Baishya et al., 2016), West Bengal ( Mogalekar et al., 2017), Arunachal Pradesh ( Gurumayum et al., 2016) and Tamil Nadu ( Mogalekar & Canciyal, 2018); Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and upper Myanmar ( Talwar & Jhingran, 1991; Vishwanath, 2010; Froese & Pauly, 2024).

Figures

Fig. 2. Trichogaster fasciata Bloch & Schneider, 1801 from little Andaman Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.