Ticto barb

Ticto barb
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Barbinae
Genus: Pethia
Species:
P. ticto
Binomial name
Pethia ticto
(F. Hamilton, 1822)
Synonyms
  • Cyprinus ticto F. Hamilton, 1822
  • Barbus ticto (F. Hamilton, 1822)
  • Puntius ticto (F. Hamilton, 1822)
  • Puntius ticto ticto (F. Hamilton, 1822)
  • Rothee ticto (F. Hamilton, 1822)
  • Systomus ticto (F. Hamilton, 1822)
  • Systomus tripunctatus Jerdon, 1849

The ticto barb or twospot barb (Pethia ticto) is a species of subtropical freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. It is a native of the upper Mekong, Salwen, Irrawaddy, Meklong and upper Charo Phraya basins in the countries of Nepal, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.[2][3] It has frequently been confused with the Odessa barb in the aquarium trade, but in that species the male is reddish-orange (lacking in P. ticto).[4][5]

The ticto barb is silver and gold with two black spots; one just before the pectoral fin and one near the back tail. It grows to a maximum length of 10 cm (4 in).[3]

It is natively found in still, shallow, marginal waters of lakes and rivers, usually with muddy bottoms. It browses close to the substrate in shallow water. Ticto barbs natively live in a subtropical environment and prefer water with a 6.0—7.0 pH, a water hardness of up to 10 dGH, and a temperature range of 14–22 °C (57–72 °F).[3] Their diet consists of small crustaceans, insects and plankton.[3]

The ticto barb is one of many barbs undergoing revisions in their taxonomic classification. It is frequently confused with its sympatric relative P. stoliczkana.

  1. ^ Dahanukar, N. (2015). "Pethia ticto". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T166621A70442418. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-1.RLTS.T166621A70442418.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Pethiyagoda, R., Meegaskumbura, M. & Maduwage, K. (2012): A synopsis of the South Asian fishes referred to Puntius (Pisces: Cyprinidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 23 (1): 69-95.
  3. ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Pethia ticto". FishBase. April 2013 version.
  4. ^ Seriouslyfish: Pethia ticto. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  5. ^ Kullander, S. O.; and R. Britz (2008). Puntius padamya, a new species of Cyprinid fish from Myanmar (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Electronic Journal of Ichthyology, Bulletin of the European Ichthyology Society 2: 56-66.