Parambassis

Parambassis
Indian glassy fish, Parambassis ranga

("Painted" specimen)

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Superfamily: Percoidea
Family: Ambassidae
Genus: Parambassis
Bleeker, 1874
Type species
Ambassis apogonoides,
Bleeker, 1851
Species
14 described species see text

Parambassis, is a genus of freshwater fish in the Asiatic glassfish family (Ambassidae) of order Perciformes. The type species is the iridescent glassy perchlet (P. apogonoides).

These fishes originate mostly from Southeast Asia, but the species range across the Indomalaya and Australasia ecozones, from Pakistan and India down through Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia.

The Parambassis species range in maximum size from 3 - 20 cm (1.2 - 7.9 in), but they are similar in appearance, with a lozenge-shaped form, typical perciform fins, and semi-transparent or transparent body.

Several of the species are common food fish in local markets, and some (most notably the Indian glassy fish, Parambassis ranga) are kept as aquarium fish.

Species

References