Harlequin rasbora of a harlequin. The harlequin rasbora is a fish that has an approximately lozenge-shaped body, whose basal colour from the head to the caudal peduncle is an orange-pink, the exact hue varying depending upon such factors as water conditions and the original population from which the fish was obtained. The posterior half of the body is overlaid with a large, roughly triangular black marking, that tapers toward the terminal end of the caudal peduncle, and begins approximately below the midpoint of the attachment of the dorsal fin (commonly called a "black wedge"). In common with all cyprinids, the articulation of
Notoscopelus elongatus the anal fin 18 to 19, and in the pectoral fins, 12 to 13. There is a distinctive arrangement of photophores (light-emitting organs) on the head and body. At a length of about , males develop luminous, glandular patches on the dorsal surface of the caudal peduncle. It is very similar in morphology to "Notoscopelus kroyeri" but differs in having 23 to 25 gill rakers whereas "N. kroyeri" has 26 to 29. "N. elongatus" is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea where it is found in greatest abundance in the Western Basin and the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea. During the