Rosy bitterling

The rosy bitterling or Tairiku baratanago (Rhodeus ocellatus) is a small freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae (carp), native to East Asia from the Amur River basin to the Pearl River basin.

Rosy bitterling
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Acheilognathinae
Genus: Rhodeus
Species:
R. ocellatus
Binomial name
Rhodeus ocellatus
(Kner, 1866)
Synonyms
  • Pseudoperilampus ocellatus Kner, 1866
  • Rhodeus ocellatus ocellatus (Kner, 1866)
  • Rhodeus maculatus Fowler, 1910
  • Rhodeus hwanghoensis Mori, 1928
  • Rhodeus notatus Nichols, 1929
  • Rhodeus wangkinfui H. W. Wu, 1930
  • Rhodeus pingi C. P. Miao, 1934

Females are about 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in) long and males are 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in). Their bodies are flat with an argent-colored luster. However, males change to a reddish (sometimes purple) color during the spawning season (March to September) which functions to attract females. This reddish color is similar to the color of a red rose, which is why it is called a rosy bitterling.

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