Red-tailed black shark

The red-tailed black shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor; syn. Labeo bicolor), also known as the redtail shark and redtail sharkminnow, is a species of freshwater fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. It is endemic to Thailand and currently critically endangered,[1] but common in aquaria, where it is prized for its deep black body and vivid red or orange tail. The red-tailed black sharks seen in the aquarium trade today are all captive bred.[1]

Red-tailed black shark
A red-tailed black shark

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Epalzeorhynchos
Species:
E. bicolor
Binomial name
Epalzeorhynchos bicolor
(H. M. Smith, 1931)
Synonyms

Labeo bicolor Smith, 1931

It is not closely related to sharks.

Distribution

The species is endemic to Thailand, and was described by Hugh M. Smith in 1931 as being 'not uncommon' in Bueng Boraphet and the streams which lead from it, and as being found in the Chao Phraya River as far south as Bangkok.[2] A 1934 expedition reported catching a specimen in the Silom canal.[3] As of 2011 it is only known at a single location in the Chao Phraya basin, and has Critically Endangered status on the IUCN Red List.[1] From 1996 until 2011 it was believed to be extinct in the wild. There is no evidence that collection for the aquarium trade is responsible for the species' decline, and it is more likely that construction of dams and draining of swamps that took place during the 1970s were to blame.[1]

Size

Red-tailed black sharks can reach a length of 16 cm (6 in).[4]

Footnotes
  1. Vidthayanon, C. (2013). "Epalzeorhynchos bicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Smith, Hugh W. (1931). "Descriptions of new genera and species of Siamese fishes". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 79: 1–48. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.79-2873.1.
  3. Fowler, Henry W. (1934). "Zoological Results of the Third De Schauensee Siamese Expedition, Part V: Additional Fishes". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 86: 335–352. JSTOR 4064154.
  4. "Red Tail Shark - Tropical Fish Success". www.tropical-fish-success.com.
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References
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