Caudal fin reddish brown without bars, darker at base darker, distal with few dark dots distally. Anal fin brown, darker at base and distally. Pelvic fins dark brown, tips whitish. Pectoral fins colourless.
Live colouration. Body sides of males (Fig. 2) with iri- descent greenish blue metallic scales; dorsally dark brown. Light brown stripe on dorsum from head to an- terior dorsal-fin base. Head reddish brown. Two distinct parallel vertical bright red to golden bars on opercle. Iris greenish blue. No distinct dark stripes on head or body sides. Unpaired fins reddish brown, speckled with green- ish blue dots and streaks. Pelvic fins reddish brown with greenish blue tips. Pectoral fins hyaline. Females (Fig.
3) as for males but fewer iridescent greenish blue metal- lic scales on body sides. Parallel vertical bars on opercle lighter and less bright.
Distribution. Betta hendra occurs in peat swamps in the Sungai Sebangau drainage south and west of Palang- karaya, Kalimantan Tengah, Borneo (Fig. 4).
Habitat. The type locality is a blackwater peat swamp south of Palangkaraya. In May 2011 linke measured the following water parameters: pH about 4, conductivity
6 µS/cm, and water temperature 28.5 °C. The water had no current and was shaded by trees and bushes. The wa- ter depth was only about 5 to 50 cm. The fighting fishes were collected among the aquatic and marsh plants. At some sites B. hendra was syntopic with B. foerschi.
Reproductive behaviour. Observations under aquari- um conditions have revealed B. hendra to be a bubble- nester.