Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Rivulidae (Rivulines) > Rivulinae
Etymology: kunzei: The name kunzei is in honour of Eduardo Kunze Bastos, author of an unpublished dissertation written in 1979 comprising a pioneering study on the ecology of Rivulus punctatus from central Brazil, providing initial stimulus for studying taxonomy of the killyfishes today placed in the genus Melanorivulus (Ref. 92338).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 17°S - 18°S, 51°W - 52°W
South America: Brazil, Estado de Goias. Known only from the type locality, a stream tributary to the upper CaiapoRiver, which is an upper tributary to the Araguaia River (Ref. 92338).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 92338); 3.2 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Distinguished from all other species of Melanorivulus, except M. kayapo, by having a colour pattern of flank in males consisting of irregular horizontal rows of red dots arranged to form a red reticulate pattern on the posterior part of flank, including canal peduncle region (vs. never a similar colour pattern; usually oblique red bars on the flank, reticulated areas when present are symmetrical and derived from overlapping bars). M. kunzei is distinguished from by having fewer caudal-fin rays (29-30 vs. 32-34), more neuromasts in the infraorbital series (1 + 11 + 1 vs. 1 + 7-9 + 1), and by the presence of dark grey dots on the subdistal portion of dorsal fin and middle of caudal fin in males (vs. absence) and small red spots on the caudal fin in males (vs. horizontally elongated red spots)(Ref. 92338).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Costa, W.J.E.M., 2012. Two new species of Melanorivulus from the Caiapós hill, upper Araguaia river basin, Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 23(3):211-218 (Ref. 92338)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00661 (0.00311 - 0.01404), b=3.09 (2.91 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
