Valencia toothcarp  (Valencia hispanica)

Description

An attractively coloured, diminutive freshwater fish, while the Valencia toothcarp has a history of popularity in the aquarium trade, today its wild populations are perilously close to extinction (2) (3). The common name of this species is a reference to the fact that the jaws bear small conical teeth, used for catching and holding prey (3). The body is robust and elongated, with rounded fins and large eyes, reflecting the importance of sight for this species when hunting. The dorsal and anal fins are set well back on the tail, while the pectoral fins are large and enable this species to manoeuvre efficiently between dense vegetation (3). The colouration is generally brownish-green on the top becoming lighter towards the lower parts, with greyish-blue colouration exhibited on the sides of the adult males. A series of narrow, vertical brownish bars runs along the flanks, and the borders of the pectoral and caudal fins are yellow-orange (2) (4).

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