The Nomenclature of Trichopodus pectoralis REGAN, 1910; Trichopus cantoris SAUVAGE, 1884 and Osphronemus saigonensis BORODIN, 1930 (Teleostei: Peciformes: Osphronemidae)

The Snake-Skin Gourami was described twice: First by GÜNTHER (1861) as Osphromenus (sic!) trichopterus var. ß cantoris. The name was used partly up to the early twenties of the last century. But already in 1905 KÖHLER elevated that taxon on species level as Osphromenus cantoris. REGAN (1910) described the same species again as Trichopodus pectoralis. Both authors (GÜNTHER and REGAN) stressed different (nuptial and non nuptial) colour pattern of the species. As Trichogaster pectoralis (REGAN, 1910) the species was known lasting for decades. With the newly reinstatement of the genus name Trichopodus for the Southeast Asian gourami species trichopterus, microlepis, leerii an cantoris the oldest name available for the Snake-Skin Gourami is Trichopodus cantoris (GÜNTHER, 1861). Trichopus cantoris SAUVAGE,1884 is most probably a junior synonym of Trichopodus leerii (BLEEKER, 1852), while Osphronemus (sic!) saigonensis BORODIN, 1930 is without question a junior synonym of Trichopodus cantoris (GÜNTHER, 1861)