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Macropodus/Betta, taxonomy questions

1K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  Josh Young 
#1 ·
In reading about the history of Bettas, I learned that the original genus, applied by Dr. Theodore Cantor around 1840, is Macropodus the genus Betta is said to applied by a man of the name of Tate Regan in 1909.

Does anyone have a copy of Tate Regans paper where he changes the name?
What is his type species for the genus Betta and how does his description delineate Betta from Macropodus?

Is it true that Macropodus and Betta have been bred before? I seem to recall reading that the cross was possible.

there have been reports of the inter generic hybridizing of Betta Splendens and Macropodus opercularis, the Paradise Fish.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese_fighting_fish

It appears that several of the alleles in B. splendens were bred into the fish by introducing them from Macropodus species. It also seems the distinction between Macropodus and Betta is artificial and dubiously evidenced. It also seems as if the basic schema is to use trait linkage and then massive populations and selections to look for re-assortment, hence a way of separating a large fin allele set from a large body allele set and introducing a small body and large fin allele set, although it is not simple in practice due to the numbers one must work with to employ this type of breeding and selection method.

I also question the reasoning behind the distinction of Belontia from Macropodus and Betta. I would love to see a study of mitochondrial DNA on all Anabantoidei, anybody have one handy?


I understand practical distinctions, I am looking for evidence that these fish are not in the same genus from a taxonomic approach based on evidence, as opposed to consensus. I know people regard them as distinct, but this is not enough for me, I must have a test of truth and consensus cannot suffice.
 
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