Puneet Varma (Editor)

Pseudorhodeus tanago

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Order
  
Cypriniformes

Scientific name
  
Tanakia tanago

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Chordata

Family
  
Cyprinidae

Higher classification
  
Tanakia

Pseudorhodeus tanago wwwtansuigyonetagaoT20121204020219jpg

Genus
  
Pseudorhodeus C. H. Chang et al., 2014

Similar
  
Acheilognathinae, Tanakia lanceolata, Oily bitterling, Acheilognathus typus, Acheilognathus cyanostigma

tanago bitterling acheilognathus melanogaster


Pseudorhodeus tanago, the Tokyo bitterling, is a temperate freshwater fish of the carp family (Cyprinidae). Taxonomically, it belongs to the Acheilognathinae sub-family.

Contents

The species was first described as Rhodeus tanago by Shigeho Tanaka in 1909. It is widely known as Tanakia tanago, although a 2014 study suggests it is genetically distinct from other Tanakia species, and warrants placement it the monotypic genus Pseudorhodeus.

tokyo bitterling pseudorhodeus tanago tanakia tanago


Distribution

In the wild, this fish is found only on the Kantō Plain of Japan, an area near the capital city, Tokyo. The fish was formerly abundant in small streams, but its habitat has been overrun by people and pollution.

Threats

This species was listed in the 1996 IUCN Red List as "Vulnerable", and there is a real risk that it could become extinct in the wild. It also suffers from competition from the related but more aggressive rosy bitterling. Bitterlings lay their eggs in freshwater mussel shells. The Tokyo bitterling lays its eggs in only one type of mussel shell, limiting its chances of successful breeding. To help protect the fish, it has been declared a "national monument" by the Japanese government, and this gives it special protection.

References

Pseudorhodeus tanago Wikipedia


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