Trichopodus+trichopterus

Photos : Low Bi Wei
 * Trichopodus trichopterus Pallas, 1770**

=//ICZN accepted name :// =
 * =__NAME__ =

//Trichopodus trichopterus Pallas,1770//
= = =//Original name in first description :// =

//Labrus trichopterus Pallas 1770//
= = =Scientific synonym//:// =  (//__Synonym) (Author) (ICZN Validity)__//
 * ====//Tichogaster trichopterus (S) Bloch & Schneider, 1801, no.// ====
 * ====//Osphromenus insulatus (J) Seale,1910,// no.====
 * ====//Osphromenus siamensis// (J) Günther, 1861, no.====
 * ====//Osphromenus// //trichopterus//(J) Duncker, 1904, no.====
 * ====//Trichopus trichopterus(O) Cuvier & Valenciennes,1831 ,no.//====
 * ====//Trichopus sepat(S) Bleeker,1845, no.//====

(S) - Senior Synonym ; (J) - Junior synonym; (O) - Others

(See right for taxonomic history)

=//**Common name:**// = = = =**First description:** = ====Pallas, P. S. 1770. Spicilegia zoologica quibus novae imprimis et obscurae animalium species iconibus, descriptionibus atque commentariis illustrantur. Fasciculus octavus. pp. 1-54, pl. I-V ====
 * ====//Two-spot gourami,// ====
 * ====//Three-spot gourami,// ====
 * ==== //Blue gourami,// ====
 * ====//Pla kadi or pla kadi mor in north thailand//====
 * ==== //Pla salark or pla salaring// ====
 * ====//Trey Kawmphleanh samrai in Cambodia//====
 * ====Sepat Padi in Malaysia====
 * ====Sepat ronggeng in Malaysia====

=**Page of description:** =

Pg 45 - 46
= __Type information__ =

No type information could be found despite searching through many website, books and papers

= __Etymology__ =

//Trichopterus// means hair-fin in greek, referring to the shape of the ventral fins (Ritcher,1988).
=__Diagnosis__= ====Members of the genus //Trichopodus// & //Trichogaster// can be easily distinguished by the ventral fin that are reduced to to a rudiment prolonged as a long filamentous ray. However, as compared to the members members of the genus //Trichopodus// has a shorter dorsal fin base and are larger as compared to the members of genus //Trichogaster// (Pinter,1986).====

====//T. trichopterus// can be recognize by a long anal fin that is often marked with yellow-orange spots and also by a body with numerous narrow irregular oblique bars that are temporarily quite distinctive. The most distinctive characteristics of //T. trichopterus// are the two conspicuous lateral spots located at the caudal base(Tail) and central portion of the fish. Together with the eyes that look like a third black spot, it is given the name three-spot gourami.====

= __Description__ = (Alcohol preserved specimen from Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore) Photo: Lee Ding Lun Photo: Lee Ding Lun
 * ==== **Colour :** ====
 * ==== Body can range from brown to greyish in T. Trichopterus Trichopterus (wild) to blue or marbled blue or silver or golden in T. trichopterus sumatranus(aquarium breed). Darker at the dorsal and almost white at ventral. ====
 * ====Head with dark grey dorsal and silverish opercle scales with 2-3 blackish bars====
 * ==== Eyes bright red or orange when life ====
 * ==== Median fins and pectorals are brown ====
 * ====Dorsal and caudal fins are dark grey with roundish white spots====
 * ====Dorsal fin distal margin yellowish====
 * ====Anal fins with anterior parts whitish and the rest dark grey====
 * ====Distal margin of posterior anal fin orange with a few rounded yellowish spots====
 * ==== **Length:** up to 150mm ====
 * ==== **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dorsal spines (total)**: 6 - 8 ====
 * ==== **Dorsal soft rays (total):** 7-10 ====
 * ==== **Anal spines:** 9 - 12 ====
 * ==== **Anal soft rays:** 30 - 38 ====
 * ==== **Dorsal fin branched rays**: 8-9 ====
 * ==== **Branched anal-fin rays:** 33-38 ====
 * ==== **Dorsal fin base length**: Shorter than anal fin base ====
 * ==== **Pelvic fin length:** Exceeds anal fin base length ====
 * ==== **Mouth:** Very small, very oblique, upper jaw vertical and somewhat protractile, lower jaw prominent. ====
 * ==== **Scales:**moderate size, irregularly arranged; 40 - 52 scale in lateral series. ====
 * ==== **Lateral line:** Curved or irregular, interrupted or continuous, reaching caudal fin . ====
 * ==== **Caudal fin**: Slightly emarginate or truncate .====
 * ====**Pectoral fin:**Hyaline====
 * ==== **Body patterns:** One black spot each at just after posterior edge of pectoral fin on median of body and at the middle of caudal-fin base; body with up to 20 narrow irregular oblique bars(anterior bars complete & posterior 4-5 bars interrupted). ====
 * ==== **Sexing: F**emales has plumer belly and have a shorter and rounder dorsal fin while male are slimmer with larger and pointed flowing dorsal fins often capable of reaching the caudal fin when relaxed. ====
 * **Juvenile:** Similar to adult.


 * Extracted from Tan & Ng(2005), Inger & Chin(2002), Kottelat(2001) & Rainboth(1996)**

= __Biology__ =

media type="youtube" key="6uJHKH0cJmc" height="315" width="420" align="center"
 * = **Habitat** =
 * ==== //T. Trichopterus// has a wide ecological distribution.It can withstand a a large range of media ranging from ordinary freshwater, peaty and black waters, polluted waters to brackish waters. ====
 * ==== It is most commonly found in swamplands, rich fields,ditches ,pools and ponds that have: ====
 * 1) ==== stagnant or semi-stagnant waters; ====
 * 2) ==== shallow with depth less than 2m; ====
 * 3) ==== bottom with thick layer of soft mud,detritus or organic material ====
 * 4) ==== high turbidity of water;shade usually sparse or lacking ====
 * 5) ==== with a good marginal growth of emergent and floating plants. ====
 * ==== //T. trichopterus// is often absent from torrent streams and fast flowing streams and river due to the disadvantaged conferred upon the fish by its lateral compressed body. ====
 * ==== Temperature of habitat ranges from 26 degree celsius to 34 degree celsius .====
 * ====Dissolved oxygen in the habitat can be low as //T. Trichopterus is tolerant of low-oxygen environment//====
 * ====Optimum pH of habitat ranges from 7.0 - 8.0 but //T. trichopterus is capable of tolerating a wide range of pH from 3.7 - 9.5.//====
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Diet =
 * ==== //T. trichopterus// is normally a bottom feeder but can change from carnivorous feeding of zooplankton, crustaceans and insect larvae in the fry stage to algal and detritophagic feeding in the adult. ====
 * = Reproduction =
 * ====//T. trichopterus// reaches sexual maturity at a length of 7cm, usually between 12 - 14 weeks of age.====
 * ====//T. trichopterus// reproduces via external fertilisation.====
 * ====They are nesters and the male usually builds bubble nest at the surface of the water ,consisting of mucous membrane, in floating plant matter .====
 * ====The bubble nest may rise up more than 3 cm above the water and are up to 25 cm long====
 * ====The male guards the egg until they become frys====
 * ====300 - 4000 eggs can be produced per spawning (Ritcher,1988)====
 * ====Spawning occurs in the temperature range of 23 degree celsius to 29 degree Celsius.(Degani,1989).====
 * ====When pairing, the male swims up and down, stroking his partner's belly in the process, before taking here into his bodily embrace. This action is describe by Miller (1964) as rubbing====

Breeding three-spot gourami

> > **Extracted from** Ritcher (1988), Tan(1969), Rainboth(1996), Degani(1989),Horst Linke(1992). || =__Taxonavigation__=
 * =Breathing=
 * ====//T. trichopterus// belongs to a group of perch like fishes known as the labyrinth fishes which are fishes that have a supplementary respiratory organ other than the gills.====
 * ====Unlike most fishes, which uses the gills for gaseous exchange with the water, //T. trichopterus// can obtain an additonal supply of oxygen form the atmosphere by using its "labyrinth" organ====
 * ====To do this, //T. trichopterus// must periodically swim to the water surface to exchange the gases.====
 * ====However, the gills of //t. trichopterus// are degenerated to an extend that they alone could not support the oxygen demand of the fish and have to work in synchrony with the "labyrinth" organ to meets the oxygen demand of the fish.====

**Kingdom:** Animalia Linnaeus, 1758
= =

**Phyllum:** Chordata Bateson,1885
= =

**Class:** Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fish) Klein,1885
= =

**Order:**Perciformes (Perch-like)
= =

**Family:**Osphronemidae Bleeker,1859
= =

**Genus:**Trichopodus Lacepede,1801
= __Taxonomic History__ = __ (changes in the genera of //trichopterus//) __

====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The genus //Trichopodus// was formed by Lacepede (1801) for the two species-group taxa //T. mentum// and //Labrus// //trichopterus// PALLAS (1770) but no type species was determined then. In 1831, Cuvier included //Labrus// //trichopterus// Pallas, 1770 as the single species for //Trichopodus//. ====

====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In 1917, unknowing of the earlier description by Bleekers(1879)<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Jordan assigned //Trichopodus mentum L////acepede// //as the type// //species for Trichopodus// //and Trichogaster fasciatus B////loch// //& S////chneider////(1801) as the type species for Trichogaster.// Until 1923, the four small gouramis were classified as Trichogaster while the larger gourami as Trichopodus. In 1923, Myers contested the assignment by Jordan and interpreted Cuvier's boundary of trichopodus (thus also for trichogaster incorrectly. ====

====Since MYERS (1923) assumed that Trichogaster BLOCH & SCHNEIDER is the senior synonym of Trichopodus LACEPÈDE, he synonymnised both as Trichogaster and a new genus Colisa was erected for the four small gourami====

====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In 1997, Derijist pointed out the earlier description by Bleekers (1879) and in 2004 Britz made colisa obsolete ,returned the 8 species to their previous genera and reviving genera Trichopodus at the same time. However, the proposed changes were not used in subsequent literature. In 2008 ,Töpfer and Schindler identified the change but it was only in 2009 when Töperfer and Schindler published a paper reaffirming Trichopodus as a valid genera with the type species as //Trichopodus Trichopterus.// ====

**Extracted from** Töperfer & Schindler (2009)
**__Phylogeny__** __ Abstracted from ____Rüber____ et al.,2005 (Click for more information) __ __Phylogenetic analysis done based on a Bayesian phylogenetic approach on mtDNA60.__ __ (Awaiting permission) __

Based on the phylogenetic tree, we can see that members of genus //Trichopodus//, previously know as //Trichogaster//, forms a monophylectic group and is a sister taxa of genus //Trichogaster//, previously know as //Colisa//.

The closest relative to //T. trichoptersus// is //T. pectoralis// (Snake-skin gourami)

= __Distribution__ = media type="custom" key="11054806" width="110" height="110" //(Distribution of T.trichopterus. Blue - Native populations, Red - Non-native, established population, Yellow - Non native, no evidence of establishment)//

//T.trichopterus// can be found naturally <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica;">in Southeast Asia: Singapore,Bali, Borneo, Java, Malaysia, Sumatra & in the Mekong basin in Yunnan, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia ,Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica;">In Singapore, it has been observed at Sungei Ayer Tawar (1958), Sungei Seletar, Nee Soon Rifle Range (1958), Serangoon(1898.1964), Jervoise Road (1912), Woodleigh (1934), Sungei Tengeh (1963),Sungei Kangkar (1963), Sungei Kallang, outlet from Peirce Reservoir (1964), Sungei Seletar, outlet from Seletar Reservoir (1964), Somerset Road, R. Hanitsch(1912).( Alfred E. R.,1966), Kalllang river (Tan et. al, 2010), Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve & Seletar Wet-gap (2011, Observed by Low Bi Wei).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica;"> Being a popular and intensively marketed variety of tropical aquarium fish species, //T. trichopterus// has been introduced by accident or intentionally release into the freshwater habitats of many countries.There have been evidence of establised population in western Ghat in India (Molur, 2008),Philippines(Juliano et al. 1989), Taiwan(Shen 1993), Papua New Guinea(Allen,1991), Southern Africa (FAO, 1997), South America(Welcomme, 1988), the Dominican Republic (Lever 1996),Queensland, Austrailia (Ringwood,2009). There were also sightingsin Florida (Fuller et al. 1999) and Canada (Crossman 1984), but without evidence of establishment.

= __Environmental Impact__ =

Despite existence of multiple established populations across the world, the ecological impacts of this species have not been adequately explored.It was suggested that //T. trichopterus// competes with the native for food and space as they are able to dominate areas,which the natives are not able to, due to their high fecundity, their ability to breath air and their tolerance to varying pH, tempertaure and salinity.

In Queensland, Australia,//T. trichopterus// can only be kept in an aquarium, but cannot be released. They cannot be used as bait, live or dead. If they are caught in the wild they must not be returned to the water. Penalties up to $200,000 apply(Ringwood,2009).

In Kerala, India, //T.trichopterus//is considered an invasive species and is thought to be potentially harmal to native ornamental fishes there.( Krishnakumar et. al,2009)

In 2009, Geheber et. al(2010) collected t. trichopterus from a small pond near the northern coast of Jamaica in June. The collection represents the first documentation of this species in Jamaica.

=__Human uses__=
 * ====Food fish in parts of Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia.====
 * Aquarium fish trade

=__ Conservation status __=

**IUCN Red list status:** Not evaluated

 * The Singapore Red Data Book**: No Record

Although the abundance //of T. trichopterus// has not been evaluated, Alfred (1996) mentioned that //T. trichopterus// is common and widely distributed in Singapore.

 * __Threats to human__ **

There are currently no know threats to human.
__**Threats faced by T. trichopterus**__

Although there are no know threats to //T.trichopterus// globally, native populations of //T.trichopterus// in Singapore are facing a reduction in range due to rapid loss of habitats & habitat degradation.

__Different sub-species of Trichopodus trichopterus__
T. tricopterus trichopterus(wild) Photo:Low Bi Wei

media type="youtube" key="R74GL-A_0HQ" height="315" width="420" Blue gourami( T. trichopterus sumatranus Ladiges, 1933)

media type="youtube" key="rIult6gA378" height="315" width="560" Cosby gourami (Mutation of //T. trichopterus sumatranus//)(Aquarium Breed)

media type="youtube" key="kQcYuRZxXvw" height="315" width="420" Gold gourami (Mutation of //T. trichopterus sumatranus//)(Aquarium Breed)

Silver gourami (Mutation of //T. trichopterus sumatranus//)(Aquarium Breed) Photo: http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/gourami/ig/Gourami-Gallery/Three-Spot-Gourami.htm

As no paper or article has been found to support the validity of //T. trichopterus sumatranus// as a sub species at the moment. Due caution should be taken when using the name. || Alfred E. R.,1996.The fresh-water fishes of Singapore. //ZOOLOGISCHE VERHANDELINGEN// **78**:52.
 * ** __References__ **

Allen GR (1991) Field guide to the freshwater fishes of New Guinea. Christensen Research Institute, Madang, Papua New Guinea

Bleeker, P.,1845.Bijdragen tot de geneeskundige Topographie van Batavia. Generisch overzicht der Fauna. Natuur-en Geneeskundig Archief voor Neȇrlandsch Indië v. 2 (3): 505-528.

Britz, R. 2004. Why Colisa has become Trichogaster and Trichogaster is now Trichopodus. //AAGB Labyrinth// **136:** 8–9

Cole B.,C. S. Tamaru & C. Brown,1997.A manual for comercial production of the gourami, //Trichogaster trichopterus:// a temporary paired spawner//.Cener for tropical and subtropical aquaculture publication number **135**.//

Degani,G.,1989. The effects of temperature, light, fish size and container size on breeding of //Trichogaster trichopterus//. //Bamidgeh// **41**(2):67-73

Derijst, E., 1997: Nota over de geldigheid van de genusnamen:Trichogaster BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, 1801; Trichopodus LACEPÈDE, 1801; Polyacanthus CUVIER, 1829 en Colisa CUVIER, 1831 (Perciformes: Belontiidae); met commentaar over de publicatiedata van de werken van BLOCH & SCHNEIDER en van LACEPÈDE, beide verschenen in 1801 en over het auteurschap van de genusnaam Colisa. – Aquariumwereld, 50(9): 217–226.

FAO (1997) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) FAO Database on Introduced Aquatic Species, Rome, Italy.

Geheber A. D., D. M. Caleb & R. P. Kyle, 2010.First record of the non-native three spot gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus (Pallas 1770) (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) in Jamaica. //Aquatic Invasions// **5**, Supplement 1:13-16.

Günther, A.,1861**.**Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the collection of the British Museum. 3. Gobiidae, Discoboli, Pediculati, Blenniidae, Labyrinthici, Mugilidae, Notacanthi. London. Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum.

Horst Linke,1992.//LABYRINTH FISH: The Bubble-Nest-Builders//.Tetra-press.Germany.ISBN 0-46798-16071-7

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JORDAN, D. S. (1917): The genera of fi shes, from Linnaeus to Cuvier, 1758–1833, seventy-fi ve years with the accepted type of each. – Stanford University, California,

Juliano R. O., Guerrero R. D., Ronquillo I.,1989. The introduction of exotic aquatic species in the Philippines. In: De Silva SS (ed) //Exotic aquatic organisms in Asia//. Asian Fisheries Society, Spec. Publ. Manila, Philippines,pp 83-90

Ringwood G.,2009.Three spot gourami.//Primary industries and fisheries, Queensland government//.http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_14162.htm. Accessed on 30/10/2011.

[|Kottelat M.,2001.Fishes of Laos.WHT Publication(Pte) Ltd. ISBN 955-911-25-5] || Krishnakumar, R. Raghavan, G. Prasad, A. Bijukumar, M. Sekharan, B. Pereira and A.Ali. When pets become pests – exotic aquarium fishes and biological invasions in Kerala, India. //Current Science// **97**(4).

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<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pallas, P. S. 1770. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Spicilegia zoologica quibus novae imprimis et obscurae animalium species iconibus, descriptionibus atque commentariis illustrantur. //Fasciculus octavus//. pp. 1-54, pl. I-V

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Welcomme R. L.,1988.International introductions of inlandaquatic species. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). FAO Technical report No 294, 318 pp || = =