TAXONOMY AND ECOLOGY OF THE FIGHTING FISHES, GENUS BETTA (TELEOSTEI: BELONTIIDAE) FROM MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE AND BRUNEI

Abstract

The taxonomy of the fighting fishes of the genus Betta is revised, and 19 species are now known from Brunei, East and West Malaysia, and Singapore. Species groups are re-defined with two new groups - B. bellica species group and B. albimarginata species group. Betta rubra is tentatively placed into B. joerschi species group, whilst B. chloropharynx is transferred from B. akarensis species group into B. waseri species group. The B. pugnax and B. splendens species groups are the most widely distributed groups; with members of the B. coccina .and B. waseri species groups having the most restricted distributions, being essentially stenotopic blackwater species. The supposed synonymy of B. bellica and B. bleekeri is clarifIed, and B. bleekeri is here made an objective synonym of B. pugnax. An allied species of this group (B. simorum) from Sumatra is also described. A revision of the problematic B. pugnax species group was completed, with a new species Betta lehi described from Sarawak. Betta climacura is here considered to be a junior subjective synonym of B. akarensis, and two new species, B. ibanorum (from Sarawak) and B. pinguis (from Kalimantan) are described. Betta ocellata is redefmed from fresh material and is shown to be distinct from B. unimaculata with which it had been synonymised. Betta taeniata is redefmed from fresh material with the description of B. zelos, new species from Kalimantan. The taxonomy of B. imbellis is discussed and the complicated taxonomic status of B. splendens and B. marchei dealt with. Well defmed species groups such as B. coccina species group and B. waseri species group are also briefly treated. Betta rena, new species (B. waseri species group) is described from Sumatra.