Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Vol. 27 No. 7 (2026)

Wild betta species (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) in Pergam Peat Swamp Forest, Bangka Island, Indonesia

ALIFA KARINA WIJAYA (Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Universitas Airlangga. Jl. Dr. Ir. Sukarno, Surabaya 60115, East Java, Indonesia)
NANTASA EKA ANDRAINI (Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Universitas Indonesia. Jl. Lingkar, Pondok Cina, Depok 16424, West Java, Indonesia)
KISMIYATI KISMIYATI (Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Universitas Airlangga. Jl. Dr. Ir. Sukarno, Surabaya 60115, East Java, Indonesia)
JOSIE SOUTH (School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds. Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom)
RENI AMBARWATI (Aquaculture Study Program, Faculty of Food Security, Universitas Negeri Surabaya. Jl. Prof. Dr. Moestopo No. 4, Surabaya 60286, East Java, Indonesia)
VERYL HASAN (Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Universitas Airlangga. Jl. Dr. Ir. Sukarno, Surabaya 60115, East Java, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
23 Aug 2026

Abstract

Abstract. Wijaya AK, Andraini NE, Kismiyati, South J, Ambarwati R, Hasan V. 2026. Wild betta species (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) in Pergam Peat Swamp Forest, Bangka Island, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 27 (7): d270702. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d270702. Bangka Island is a hotspot for the diversity of wild betta species (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) in Southeast Asia. However, ecological information regarding species distribution and habitat associations in these blackwater ecosystems remains limited. This study evaluated the diversity, dominance, and habitat distribution of wild betta species in the Pergam Peat Swamp Forest, Bangka Island, Indonesia. Sampling was conducted across upstream, midstream, and downstream habitats using standardized field surveys and environmental measurements. The 166 individuals recorded, representing four species, namely Betta burdigala, B. chloropharynx, B. edithae, and B. schalleri. The highest abundance of wild betta was obtained from the B. edithae, while the lowest abundance was B. chloropharynx. The Diversity Index (H') ranged from 0.85 to 1.20, indicating low to moderate diversity, while the Evenness Index (E) ranged from 0.61 to 0.89, suggesting a relatively even distribution of individuals among species. The Dominance Index (C) ranged from 0.32 to 0.54, reflecting low to moderate dominance. The highest H' and E values were recorded at Station 1 during the dry season, while the lowest C value was also observed at this station, indicating a more stable community structure. The study highlights the peat swamp habitats' ecological importance as refuges for endemic and specialized freshwater fishes. Ongoing habitat degradation, vegetation disturbance, and hydrological alteration may threaten the persistence of these blackwater fish communities. Therefore, long-term ecological monitoring and peat-swamp conservation are urgently needed to support biodiversity preservation in Bangka Island.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

biodiv

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology

Description

The Biodiversitas Journal was first published in 2000 by the Department of Biology, FMNS, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia, then in 2006 it was co-published by the Society for Indonesian Biodiversity and that department; since 2017 it was also hosted by Smujo. From 2003-2012 it was ...