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| Melanotaenia batanta - photo© Gerald Allen |
Allen and Renyaan, 1998
Batanta Rainbowfish
Description
Body colouration neon blue on upper half except for brown scale edges. Lower half whitish, to pale orange with triangular grey area on lower side, above pelvic fins. Narrow orange stripes between each horizontal scale row on upper two-thirds of side. A dark blotch consisting of concentration of melanophores immediately behind eye on uppermost part of operculum. Fins mainly translucent except dorsal, anal, and caudal, frequently with bluish tint.
Distribution
Known only from Batanta Island in the Raja Ampat Group lying immediately west of the Vogelkop Peninsula, West Papua. Batanta is a small island approximately 55 kilometres long and 30-35 kilometres wide and is home to three separate species of rainbowfishes. Much of the Island is covered with dense rainforest.
Raja Ampat, literally translated to mean "the four kings", is a group of islands comprising Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool located to the west of Sorong, on the northwest tip of the main island of New Guinea. The Raja Ampat Islands are situated immediately west of the West Papuan mainland, between 0°20' and 2°15' S latitude, and 129°35' and 131°20' E longitude. The Archipelago and surrounding seas occupy approximately 40,000 kmē.
Habitat & Ecology
Clear water streams with moderately fast-flowing through primary rainforest. May reach a maximum size of 10 cm, but usually less than 8 cm SL.
Remarks
This species was named batanta with reference to the type locality. No live specimens have so far been collected for the aquarium hobby. This species should not be confused with another distributed in the hobby as the Batanta Island Rainbowfish.
© Copyright Adrian R. Tappin
Updated January, 2007.
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