| Betta persephone | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Osphronemidae |
| Genus: | Betta |
| Species: | B. persephone |
| Binomial name | |
| Betta persephone (Schaller, 1986) |
|
Betta persephone is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the gourami family (Osphronemidae) of order Perciformes. First described in 1986 from a population near Ayer Hitam in Johor state, Malaysia, B. persephone is a rare and elusive species.
This Betta species inhabits soft, acidic waters of 23‒28 °C (73‒82 °F). It reaches a total length of 3.2 cm (1¼ in). The males are largely blue-black in colour, with the females exhibiting browner tones.[1] [2]
B. persephone has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1996, as it is restricted to a very small and diminishing area.[3] While a delicate species not easily kept in aquaria, it has been bred successfully in captivity.[2]
This betta's specific epithet derives from the Greek goddess Persephone, queen of the Underworld, a reference to the species's largely blackish colouration.[2]