"Three New Species of Rainbowfishes (Melanotaeniidae) from the
Triton Lakes, Irian Jaya, New Guinea"
in: aqua Jorunal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology vol. 2(2)
June 1996, pp. 13-24.
Here's the abstract of the paper:
Three new melanotaeniid fishes are described from
the Triton Lakes area of Western Irian Jaya, Indonesia.
They are very closely related to one another and apparently,
evolved from an ancestor of the wide-ranging
Melanotaenia goldiei.
Melanotaenia kamaka n.sp. is described from 29
specimens, 38.5-60.5 mm SL, collected at Lake
Kamakawaiar, and M. lakamora n. sp. is described on
the basis of 75 specimens, 25.5-54.9 mm SL, from
nearby Lake Lakamora and Lake Aiwaso. They differ
primarily in colour pattern, but also in modal number of
anal fin rays and the length of the posterior rays of
males (those of M. lakamora are more elongate).
Melanotaenia pierucciae, the third new species, is
described from 13 specimens, 28.9-58.7 mm SL,
collected from a small creek near Lake Kamakawaiar.
It is similar to M. kamaka and M. lakamora, but differs
in colour pattern and proportions. Males are more
slender and the species also has a more slender
caudal peduncle, and shorter dorsal rays in the second
dorsal fin. It further differs from M. kamaka in having a
shorter caudal peduncle and shorter anal rays.
As far to the text.
The description contains colour photos of all three species.
M. kamaka females are similar to M. goldiei, however, the
males differ strongly by having a silvery blueish body
colouration and the mid lateral band only good visible
at the posterior part of the body. Depending from the
incoming light, the males may show all rainbow colours,
chiefly on their back. They can become rather deepbodied.
The first dorsal is white, the anal chiefly white, the second
dorsal more blue, the caudal fin blue. The belly is white,
the lower part of the body white to blue.
M. lakamora resembles M. splendida australia (at least
the males) by having several dark lateral stripes between
the scale rows. The basic colour is yellow to blue, the dorsal
and anal fins are yellow to orange, the caudal fin nearly
colourless. The females are slender, greyish with a greenish
yellow weak colouration on the body sides and slightly greyish
fins. The adult males become rather deepbodied.
Adult females also resemble M. splendida australis in body
colouration.
M. pierucciae is named after Paolo Pierucci, Heiko's partner
in discovering the species. It differs strongly in the colouration
in comparism to the other two species. The basic colour
is a dark blackish blue, with a metallic white glance in the middle of
the body and a prominent black lateral stripe. The first dorsal
of the male is metallic white. There is a white stripe under the
lateral black stripe which may show that this fish is related to the
M. affinis species group. However, it is a rather slender species.
In aquaria it may become as dark all over the body as now other
rainbow.
Personally I think that M. kamaka is ... wow! It may soon
become a widespread species. However, most of all adult
males over 60 mm length start to show the really bright
colours.
M. lakamora is too much close to M. splendida australis
to become a hit, and M. pierucciae seems to have too few
colours if they feel well to become widespread among
aquarists.
Again, that's my personal opinion after I've seen the colour
photos in the description as well from freshly caught as from
aquarium kept specimens.
As far as I know all three species are already available to
the hobby at least in Europe (but don't ask for the prices,
M. kamaka has been about 180 AUD a pair on our June
meeting). M. kamaka definitely is bred in larger numbers
already. However, it will take some time until the species
are distributed among more than the few aquarists who
already have it.
Harro
harro.hieronimus at t-online.de