Trichopodus

Trichopodus (formerly included in Trichogaster^[3][4]) is a genus of tropical freshwater labyrinth fish of the gourami family found in Southeast Asia. Gouramis of the genus Trichopodus are closely related to those of Trichogaster (formerly Colisa); species of both genera have long, thread-like pelvic fins (known as "feelers" in the aquarium trade) used to sense the environment. However, Trichopodus species have shorter dorsal fin base and, when sexually mature, are much larger, with the largest, the snakeskin gourami (T. pectoralis), capable of reaching a length of over 8 in (20 cm).^[5]

Trichopodus
a blue morph of the three spot gourami (T. trichopterus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anabantiformes
Family:	Osphronemidae
Subfamily:	Luciocephalinae
Genus:	Trichopodus Lacépède, 1801
Type species
Labrus trichopterus Pallas, 1770[1]
Synonyms[2]
Colisa Cuvier, 1831 Deschauenseeia Fowler, 1934 Lithulcus Gistel, 1848 Polyacanthus Cuvier, 1829 Stethochaetus Gronow, 1854 Trichopus Shaw, 1803

Along with the Trichogaster species, Trichopodus gouramis are popular in the aquarium trade. The three spot gourami (T. trichopterus), with its several aquarium variants, each known by a different trade name, is perhaps the most common aquarium gourami. Trichopodus species are also used as food fish in its native range.^[5] The snakeskin gourami, in particular, is one of the top five aquacultured freshwater fish in Thailand.^[6]

Etymology

The name Trichopodus is composed of the Ancient Greek words θρίξ (thríx) which means hair and πούς (poús) which means foot.

Species

There are currently 6 recognized species in this genus:^[7]

• Trichopodus cantoris Günther 1861
• Trichopodus leerii Bleeker, 1852 (Pearl gourami)
• Trichopodus microlepis Günther, 1861 (Moonlight gourami)
• Trichopodus pectoralis Regan, 1910 (Snakeskin gourami)
• Trichopodus poptae Low, H. H. Tan & Britz, 2014 ^[8]
• Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770) (Three spot gourami)