Ramu rainbowfish

Male

The Ramu rainbowfish ( Glossolepis ramuensis ) is a freshwater fish from northern Papua New Guinea. It was first collected in 1983 and 1985 described the Australian ichthyologist Allen scientifically.

Features

The males of the Ramu Rainbow fish are greenish - brown to purple colors on the back and whitish or mauve on the ventral side with black spots. You have several thin horizontal yellow- orange lines on the page, which are colored most vividly in the middle of the body and body finish. Adult males are larger and deep-bodied than the paler, mostly golden yellow -colored females. The first dorsal fin of the males dominated in the state in the approach of the second dorsal fin. The species grows to about eight inches tall, rarely up to ten centimeters.

The Ramu rainbowfish recalls, as well as the closely related spotted rainbow fish, rather to species of the genus Melanotaenia as from the genus Glossolepis. Even after genetic testing, it belongs in the genus Melanotaenia with Melanotaenia affinis and Melanotaenia iris as other close relatives.

Occurrence and habitat

The species is only from the upper reaches of the tributaries of the Ramu and Gogol, near Madang, known.

Habitat is rainforest streams of clear water, rocky ground and very little aquatic vegetation. Sometimes the Ramu rainbowfish occurs together with Chilatherina campsi and Melanotaenia affinis. The temperatures are from 26 to 29 ° C and pH values ​​in the range 7.4 to 7.9.