Barbs, carps, minnows, rasboras, mahseers and goldfish belong to the Cyprinidae family. They are distributed in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. They are distinguished by having their teeth in their throat rather than their jaws. These teeth, called pharyngeal teeth, are arranged in 1 to 3 rows. Their upper jaws are usually protrusible and most of them have mouth barbels.
Cyprinids are primarily freshwater fishes with only 2 known true marine species. Most of them are riverine. They usually spawn in the beginning of rainy season after a long period of drought.
The Cyprinidae are the largest freshwater fish family with 361 genera and about 2900 species worldwide. Malaysia has about 170 species.
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Scientific Name: Barbonymus gonionotus (Bleeker, 1849) English Name: Java Barb, Silver Barb Chinese Name: 蓝邦 (Lán bāng) Local Malay Name: Lampan Jawa Main Diagnostic Features: Compressed and almost diamond shape body. Barbels very minute or rudimentary. Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm.  Scientific Name: Barbonymus schwanenfeldii (Bleeker, 1854) English Name: Tinfoil Barb, Goldfoil Barb Chinese Name: 河蓝邦 (Hé lán bāng) Local Malay Name: Ikan Kepiat, Lampan Sungai Main Diagnostic Features: Compressed and almost diamond shape body. Red dorsal fin with black blotch tip. Red caudal fin with white margin and black submarginal stripe lobes. Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm, commonly 24 cm.   
Scientific Name: Cyclocheilichthys apogon (Valenciennes, 1842) English Name: Beardless Barb, Redeye Barb Local Malay Name: Temperas, Chemperas, Emperas, Mata Merah Main Diagnostic Features: 10 conspicuous longitudinal spotted stripes formed by black spot on each scale. Iris red blood in colour and fins pale reddish in live specimen. Size: Maximum total length 25 cm.  Scientific Name: Cyclocheilichthys heteronema (Bleeker, 1854) English Name: Carp, Barb Local Malay Name: Temperas, Chemperas, Emperas Main Diagnostic Features: Plain colour body and fin transparent. Dorsal originates opposite to origin of ventral fin. Fourth dorsal spines is bony and strongly denticulated. Size: Maximum total length 15 cm.   Scientific Name: Hampala macrolepidota Kuhl & Van Hasselt, 1823 English Name: Hampala Barb Chinese Name: 水马溜鱼 (Shuǐ mǎ liū yú), 大鱗裂峽魮 (Dà lín liè xiá pí) Local Malay Name: Ikan Sebarau Main Diagnostic Features: A blackish band across the body from anterior base of dorsal fin. Caudal fin lobe with black band. Size: Maximum standard length to 70 cm, commonly at 35 cm.   Scientific Name: Osteochilus vittatus (Valenciennes, 1842) Synonym: Osteochilus hasseltii (Valenciennes, 1842) English Name: Hard-lipped Barb, Bonylip Barb, Silver Sharkminnow Local Malay Name: Ikan Terbol, Terbul Main Diagnostic Features: Mid-upper lip covered by a fold of skin. Eyes small and closer to snout than to operculum. Size: Maximum standard length 32 cm, commonly about 20 cm.  |