Belontia is a small genus of gouramis in family Osphronemidae, the labyrinth-fish family that gives the group its air-breathing habit. Its two species split the range in two: Belontia signata is endemic to Sri Lanka's rivers and streams, while Belontia hasselti ranges across Sundaic and mainland Southeast Asia, turning up in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Both are elongate, laterally compressed gouramis that grow notably larger than the dwarf species aquarists often associate with the family, reaching 7–8 in, and both carry a ragged, serrated trailing edge on the caudal fin that gives the genus its "combtail" common name.
In the hobby, Belontia signata - the Ceylonese or combtail gourami - is the better-known of the two, kept by specialist gourami and Sri Lankan biotope enthusiasts for its coppery sheen and comb-edged fins, though it has a reputation for being considerably more territorial and pugnacious than the peaceful gouramis most aquarists expect, especially as it matures. Belontia hasselti sees far less trade presence. Conservation status diverges sharply between the two: hasselti is assessed Least Concern across its broad Southeast Asian range, while signata is Vulnerable, a reflection of habitat pressure on Sri Lanka's lowland waterways, and it is one of the species the atlas tracks under its CARES conservation program.