Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
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Learn more about GastromyzonX-ray Vision: Fish Inside Out, organized by the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), is an exhibit traveling to museums across the country through 2015. Visit www.sites.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibits/ichthyo/index.htm for the tour itinerary.
The cherry barb, Puntius titteya is a tropical fish belonging to the spotted barb genus of the Cyprinidae family. It is native to Sri Lanka, and introduced populations have become established in Mexico and Colombia. The cherry barb was named Puntius titteya by Paul E. P. Deraniyagala in 1929. It has also been referred to as Barbus titteya and Capoeta titteya.The species is commercially important in the aquarium trade, and the more colorful varieties are in danger of being overfished for this industry. They were listed as a Lower Risk/conservation dependent species in 1996.[1]