The Russian bitterling (Acheilognathus asmussii), or spiny bitterling, is a temperate freshwater fish belonging to the Acheilognathinae sub-family of the family Cyprinidae. It originates in the Amur River basin in Asia, and is found in China and Russia.

Russian bitterling
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Acheilognathinae
Genus: Acheilognathus
Species:
A. asmussii
Binomial name
Acheilognathus asmussii
(Dybowski, 1872)
Synonyms
  • Devario asmussii Dybowski, 1872
  • Acanthorhodeus asmussii (Dybowski, 1872)

It was originally described as Devario asmussii possibly in honor of German entomologist Eduard Assmuss (1838-1882) by Benedykt Dybowski in 1872.[1]


The fish will grow in length up to 16 centimetres (6 in). It lives in a temperate climate in water with a temperature range of 18 °C to 22 °C (64 °F to 72 °F). It is of commercial importance for public aquariums.

When spawning, female hides eggs inside Cristaria mussels and the male fertilizes them externally. The pair do not guard the eggs.

References edit

  1. ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Order CYPRINIFORMES: Families ACHEILOGNATHIDAE, GOBIONIDAE and TANICHTHYIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Archived from the original on 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2021.