Oryzias


Oryzias is a genus of ricefishes native to fresh and brackish water in east and south Asia. Some species are widespread and the Japanese rice fish is commonly used in science as a model organism, while others have very small ranges and are threatened. They are small, up to long, and most are relatively plain in colour.
The genus name Oryzias is a reference to the scientific name for rice, Oryza.
They have an unusual reproductive behavior where the female facultatively carries the eggs in a cluster at the pelvic or anal fins for a period after they have been fertilized.

Species

There are currently 33 recognized species in this genus: