''Betta omega'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

Anabantoid The Anabantoidei are a suborder of anabantiform ray-finned freshwater fish distinguished by their possession of a lung-like labyrinth organ, which enables them to breathe air. The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or lab ...

. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the state of

Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan ...

in Malaysia. The species reaches 14.77 cm (5.8 inches) in

total length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish ...

. It was described in 2018 by

Heok Hui Tan Heok Hui Tan is a Singaporean ichthyologist at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum of the National University of Singapore. Dr. Tan's main interest lies in the systematics of Southeast Asian freshwater fishes, encompassing taxonomy, eco ...

(of the

National University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...

) and Amirrudin B. Ahmad (of the

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu The Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (''University of Malaysia, Terengganu'') or UMT, formerly known as Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (Malaysian Science and Technology University College) or KUSTEM, is a university in Kuala Nerus ...

) based on its distinctive patterning. It is assessed as critically endangered by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

References

Osphronemidae Fish described in 2018 Fish of Malaysia Taxa named by Heok Hui Tan {{anabantiformes-stub