Scientific Name– Puntius phutunio
(Hamilton & Buchanan, 1822)
Common Name- Dwarf barb, Spotted barb
Local Name- Pothia, Kali Dhaba Pothia.
Classification
| Class | Osteichthyes |
| Sub-Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Cypriniforrnes |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Sub-family | Cyprininae |
| Genus | Puntius |
| Species | phutunio |
Habits and habitat
Puntius phutunio is found in ponds, tanks, floodplain area, chaur, beel and ditches. Also found in rivers and canals, slow flowing water with weeds, in Sitamarhi, Dharbhanga, Madhubani, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur and other districts of Bihar. Dark bar with a dusky, pectoral fins hyaline and other fins are light orange. This species moves in group and is fast mover. It is found attached to the substratum. It feeds on plant matter, aquatic insect, worms and daphnia.It breeds in early monsoon season attemprature 25-260CO It attains a length of 10cm.
Salient features
This specis known as dwarf barb is characterised with a restricted distribution in the stream of Gandak river and its canals. It is very beautiful and attractive due to the presence of glittering silvery scales. Grey green with a brilliant emeralt green shine on the scales of head and back. Belly is silvery white. It has two black blotch, one above the anal fin,along the dorsal fin and second as a spot on caudal peduncle. Dorsal fin often with an oblique.
source-
- Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore
