Parioglossus rainfordi McCulloch, 1921
Rainford's dartfish
photo by Allen, G.R.

Family:  Microdesmidae (Wormfishes), subfamily: Ptereleotrinae
Max. size:  4.5 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 5 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Philippines to Papua New Guinea, north to Yaeyama Islands, south to Queensland, Australia; including Palau and Pohnpei (Caroline Islands) in Micronesia and New Caledonia (Ref. 11889).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 5-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-17; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 14-16. Description: Characterized by greyish body color; white on lower head and ventrally on side; black spot behind eye; narrow yellow stripe from eye to middle of caudal peduncle; stripe on pectoral fin base to lower caudal peduncle, broad dusky grey to blackish; black bar on upper two thirds of caudal fin base; blackish midlateral stripe on caudal fin and diffuse dusky brown oblique band across upper lobe of caudal fin; longitudinal scale series 90-109; presence of head pores around top and rear margin of each eye and two preopercular pores (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Form schools among mangroves and in coastal inlets, associate with P. formosus (Ref. 1602).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 September 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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