''Rasbora vulgaris'', the blacktip rasbora, is a species of

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fish or actinopterygians, is a class of bony fish that comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. They are so called because of their lightly built fins made of webbings of sk ...

in the genus ''

Rasbora ''Rasbora'' is a genus of fish in the family Danionidae. They are native to freshwater habitats in South and Southeast Asia, as well as southeast China. A single species, ''R. gerlachi'', is only known from an old specimen that reputedly origina ...

''. It is a member of the ''R. paviana''-subgroup, which comprises five species from Indochina and the Malay Peninsula ('' R. paviana, R. vulgaris, R. notura, R. hobelmani'', and ''R. dorsinotata'')

Description

A maximum body length of 7.8 cm. However, there are unconfirmed reports of larger wild specimens up to 10 cm. A slender-bodied species with females being much broader, with a base color of a brownish green to bluish white. The identifying feature of the species from others of its group is the lack of a black line covering the

lateral line The lateral line, also called the lateral line organ (LLO), is a system of sensory organs found in fish, used to detect movement, vibration, and pressure gradients in the surrounding water. The sensory ability is achieved via modified epithelia ...

, a singular diamond black blotch at the base o the caudle peduncle, and a faded black marking near the end of each lobe of the

caudal fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported only ...

, near similar to the tail of ''R. trilineata''.

Distribution

It is found and is possibly endemic to the western coast of

Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya and also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, is the western part of Malaysia that comprises the southern part of the Malay Peninsula on Mainland Southeast Asia and the list of isla ...

. However, a western Java population had been described.

Habitat

It is an adaptable species being able to live in marshlands, main rivers, floodplains, lakes and even drainage systems, but it thrives the most in fast flowing, clear water forest streams with a sandy or rocky bottom. Fry and juveniles can often be caught around submerged vegetation.

References

Fish of Thailand vulgaris Freshwater fish of Malaysia Fish described in 1904 Taxa named by Georg Duncker {{Rasboras-stub