Epalzeorhynchos bicolor (Smith, 1931)
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The red-tailed black shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor; syn. Labeo bicolor), also known as the redtail shark, red tailed shark, and redtail sharkminnow, is a species of tropical freshwater fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. It is named after its shark-like appearance and movement, as well as its distinctive red tail. It is known locally as the ornated fish (Thai: ปลาทรงเครื่อง)
Despite its common name, it is more closely related to carp. It is endemic to streams and rivers in Thailand and is currently critically endangered. However, it is common in aquaria, where it is prized for its deep black body, and vivid red orange tail. These are moderately sized tropical aquarium fish who are active benthic swimmers. They are omnivorous but are willing to scavenge if the opportunity arises. They are known for their activity as well as their temperament towards other fish. The red-tailed black sharks seen in the aquarium trade today are all captive bred.
Wikipedia contributors, Red-tailed black shark; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T22:28:35.730887+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Epalzeorhynchos bicolor (Smith, 1931)
- Name authority
- (Smith, 1931)
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Cypriniformes
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Genus
- Epalzeorhynchos
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: no · Freshwater: yes · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- gigaclassActinopterygii
- superclassActinopteri
- classTeleostei
- orderCypriniformes
- familyCyprinidae Rafinesque, 1815
- genusEpalzeorhynchos Bleeker, 1855
- speciesEpalzeorhynchos bicolor (Smith, 1931)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Epalzeorhynchos. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Epalzeorhynchos kalopterum (Bleeker, 1850) | CyprinidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Labeo bicolor Smith, 1931 Smith, 1931 | synonym |
| Epalzeorhynchus bicolor (Smith, 1931) (Smith, 1931) | synonym |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1015830 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:6FMRR. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.