Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 242536561

Essential fish habitat and Food Habits of Parosphromenus gunawani (Sumatra endemic species) in a peat swamp, Jambi, Indonesia

Parosphromenus gunawani, sometimes known as the Licorice Gourami 'gunawani', or commonly called 'Tapilai' by local people, is an endemic species that lives in the peat waters of Jambi. This species is only found in the northeast of Jambi province in Sumatra, Indonesia (Schindler & Linke 2012). Based on IUCN Red List (2019), this species currently has a high-risk conservation status (CR; Critically Endangered). The large-scale conversion of peat swamp forest into industrial forests and oil palm plantations is the most significant threat to this species (Zaiha et al. 2015; Isabelle 2017; Wilkinson et al. 2018). These activities will encourage habitat degradation and habitat loss, which will cause the P. gunawani species to no longer have a good ecosystem to support population stocks in the wild. Unfortunately, to date, there has been no specific conservation activity for the P. gunawani species, although anthropogenic activities are increasingly threatening their existence in nature.