Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae
Series: Anabantaria
Ordo: Anabantiformes
Subordo: Anabantoidei
Familia: Osphronemidae
Subfamilia: Osphroneminae
Genus: Osphronemus
Species: O. exodon – O. goramy – O. laticlavius – O. septemfasciatus
Name
Osphronemus Lacepède, 1801
References
Primary references
Cuvier, G. & Valenciennes, A. 1831. Histoire naturelle des poissons. Tome septième. Livre septième. Des Squamipennes. Livre huitième. Des poissons à pharyngiens labyrinthiformes. F. G. Levrault, Paris. 7: i–xxix + 1–531, Pls. 170–208. BHL Reference page.
Günther, A.C.L.G. 1861. Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the collection of the British Museum. Gobiidae, Discoboli, Pediculati, Blenniidae, Labyrinthici, Mugilidae, Notacanthi. London 3: i–xxv + 1–586 + i–x. BHLReference page.
Lacépède, B.G.E. 1801. Histoire naturelle des poissons. 3: i-lxvi + 1-558, Pls. 1-34. BHL
Roberts, T.R. 1992: Systematic revision of the southeast Asian anabantoid fish genus Osphronemus, with descriptions of two new species. Ichthyological exploration of freshwaters 2(4): 351-360. [not seen] Reference page.
Roberts, T.R., 1994. Osphronemus exodon, a new species of giant gouramy with extraordinary dentition from the Mekong. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society v. 42 (no. 1): 67–77.
Sonnini, C. S., 1803. Histoire naturelle générale et paticulière des poissons; ouvrage faisant suite à l'histoire naturelle, générale et paticulière, composée par Leclerc du Buffon, et mise dans un nouvelle ordre par C. S. Sonnini, avec des notes et des additions. F. Dufart, Paris: Tome huitième [Vol. 8.], 1-445, pls. 34-42. BHL
Additional references
Jayaram, K.C., 1981. The freshwater fishes of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka--a handbook. Zoological Survey of India. i-xxii + 1-475, Pls. 1-13.
Kottelat, M. 2013. The fishes of the inland waters of southeast Asia: a catalogue and core bibiography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters, mangroves and estuaries. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement No. 27: 1–663. PDF. Reference page.
Roberts, T.R., 1989: The freshwater fishes of western Borneo (Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia). Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences No. 14: i-xii + 1-210. BHL
Talwar, P.K. & Jhingran, A. G.; 1991: Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. In 2 vols. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta. 1-2: i-xvii + 36 unnumbered + 1-1158, 1 pl, 1 map. [V. 1, i-liv + 1-541, 1 map; v. 2, i-xxii + 543-1158, 1 pl.] Reference page.
Links
Osphronemus species list in FishBase,
Froese, R. & Pauly, D. (eds.) 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication, www.fishbase.org, version 02/2024.
Osphronemus and its species (including synonyms) in Catalog of Fishes, Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R. & van der Laan, R. (eds.) 2024. Catalog of Fishes electronic version.
Osphronemus – Taxon details on Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
Osphronemus – Taxon details on National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
Osphronemus in the World Register of Marine Species
Osphronemus is a genus of large gouramis, the only genus within the subfamily Osphroneminae. These fish are known as the giant gouramis and are native to rivers, lakes, pools, swamps and floodplains in Southeast Asia, with O. exodon from the Mekong basin, O. laticlavius and O. septemfasciatus from Borneo, while O. goramy is relatively widespread.[1][2][3] O. goramy has been introduced outside its native range in Asia, Africa and Australia.[4]
All the species are highly prized as food fish, leading to farming of O. goramy and rearing of O. septemfasciatus.[5] Osphronemus appear in the aquarium trade, but they are very long-lived, possibly reaching up to 40 years old,[5] and require a very large tank with a strong filter.[6]
Appearance
A white Osphronemus goramy, achieved through selective breeding in captivity
As suggested by their English name, they are by far the largest gouramis, reaching 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in standard length depending on the exact species involved.[1] Possibly the largest recorded specimen, an O. septemfasciatus caught in Sarawak, was 72.4 cm (28.5 in) in standard length and weighed 20.5 kg (45 lb).[5] Although the species are overall similar, they do differ in details of their pattern and colour, with some species having black or red sections or markings.[2][3]
Behavior
Osphronemus goramy taking a mouthful of air from the water's surface
Breeding has been described in detail for O. goramy: the male builds a bubble nest with plant material at the water's surface.[7][8] The pair spawns nearby and the eggs are moved to the nest by the male, who guards them by himself. He continues to guard the young for a few weeks after they hatch from the eggs.[8] A rather similar breeding behavior has been reported for O. exodon, although in this species the nest is placed at the bottom of a 0.5–1 m (1.6–3.3 ft) deep pool, the female reportedly lives inside it for more than a month, while the male stays outside and guards it.[9]
Like other gouramis, the members of the genus Osphronemus are able to breathe by gulping air from the water's surface. Compared to other gouramis, their suprabranchial organ is highly elaborate, leading to speculations that they also may be able to detect smells in the air. This might help them to find the land vegetation that they feed on.[4] They feed mostly on fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers, bark and roots from land plants, macrophytes and algae, but will also take small animals like insects, worms, crustaceans, fish and amphibians.[6][7][8][9][10] Unlike the other species, adult O. exodon have quite conspicuous teeth on the outside of their lips.[3] This species often occurs in flooded forests,[11] and it will jump out of the water to pick fruits from overhanging branches.[12] Its unusual teeth may also be useful when feeding on roots and when building its nest.[9]
Species
Osphronemus laticlavius
There are currently four recognized species in this genus:[1]
Osphronemus exodon T. R. Roberts, 1994 (Elephant ear gourami)
Osphronemus goramy Lacépède, 1801 (Giant gourami)
Osphronemus laticlavius T. R. Roberts, 1992 (Giant red tail gourami)
Osphronemus septemfasciatus T. R. Roberts, 1992
References
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Osphronemus". FishBase. February 2014 version.
Roberts, T.R. (1992). Systematic revision of the Southeast Asian anabantoid fish genus Osphronemus, with descriptions of two new species. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 2(4):351–360.
Roberts, T.R. (1994). Osphronemus exodon, a new species of giant gourami with extraordinary dentition from the Mekong. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society 42(1): 67–77.
Roberts, T.R. (1989). "The freshwater fishes of Western Borneo (Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia)". Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences. 14: 1–210.
Jongkar, G., and Nyanti, L. (2012). Notes on the giant gourami Osphronemus septemfasciatus Roberts, 1992 (Perciformes: Osphronemidae) from Batang Kanowit in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Sarawak Museum Journal LXX, No. 91: 239–255.
PracticalFishkeeping (13 June 2016). Elephant ear gourami, Osphronemus exodon.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Osphronemus goramy". FishBase. December 2018 version.
SeriouslyFish: Osphronemus goramy.
Baird, I.G. (2007). Fishes and Forests: The Importance of Seasonally Flooded Riverine Habitat for Mekong River Fish Species. Nat. Hrsr. Bull. Siam Soc. 55(1): 121-148.
Rainboth, W.J. (1996). Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong, p. 218. FAO, United Nations. ISBN 92-5-103743-4.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Osphronemus exodon". FishBase. December 2018 version.
SeriouslyFish: Osphronemus exodon.
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