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Teleostei (teleosts) > Atheriniformes (Silversides) > Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfishes, blue eyes)
Etymology: Melanotaenia: Greek, melan, -anos = black + latin, taenia = stripe (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 1 m. Tropical; 14°S - 16°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Oceania: known only from two small tributaries of the Prince Regent River, West Kimberley district, northwestern Australia.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 44894); 3.5 cm SL (female); common length : 4.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 44894)

Occurs in fast flowing streams interrupted by frequent cascades or rapids. Usually inhabits the deeper pools, often at the base of waterfalls with very clear water and a primarily solid rock bottom with little or no vegetative cover (Ref. 5259, 44894). Inhabits pools and rivulets on sandstone terraces (Ref. 44894). Seen in schools containing up to 50 or more individuals (Ref. 44894). Both sexes can become sexually mature at 2.3 cm SL (Ref. 2906) A popular aquarium species that thrives in captivity (Ref. 44894).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Allen, G.R., 1989. Freshwater fishes of Australia. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey. (Ref. 5259)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Vulnerable (VU) (D2); Date assessed: 01 February 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Trophic ecology
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Ecology
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Life cycle
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Anatomy
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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00514 - 0.02450), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 2.9 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

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