Melanotaenia utcheensis

Melanotaenia utcheensis - photo© Gunther Schmida

McGuigan, 2001
Utchee Creek Rainbowfish

Species Summary
Melanotaenia utcheensis has a distinctive colour pattern with a blue-black mid-lateral band and orange margins on the vertical scale rows. It is morphologically distinct from the broadly sympatric Melanotaenia eachamensis and Melanotaenia splendida, as well as from its sister species from southern Queensland/northern New South Wales, Melanotaenia duboulayi. In particular, Melanotaenia utcheensis has more first dorsal spines and fewer vertical scale rows and anal rays than Melanotaenia splendida, and fewer soft second dorsal rays and more pectoral rays than either Melanotaenia eachamensis or Melanotaenia duboulayi. Melanotaenia utcheensis is also generally smaller than either M. splendida or M. eachamensis and intermediate between them in eye diameter, predorsal length, head depth and body depth.

Short Creek, North Johnstone River - photo© Jennifer Palmer

Distribution & Habitat
Melanotaenia utcheensis have currently only been collected from the Utchee, Fisher, Rankin and Short Creeks in the North and South Johnstone River catchments in north Queensland. They are found in sites with moderate to high water flow over cobbles and boulders. The Johnstone River flows into the Coral Sea near the north Queensland town of Innisfail. The river branches about 5 km from the mouth into the North and South Johnstone Rivers, both of which have their sources on the Atherton Tablelands. Rankin and Fisher Creeks flow northeast into the lower North Johnstone River. Short Creek and an unnamed creek are in the upper North Johnstone a little bit upstream of Gillies and Dirran Creek and they enter from the opposite side of the river. Utchee Creek feeds into the South Johnstone River on the coastal plain upstream of Innisfail.

Melanotaenia utcheensis [Short Ck. ~ wild caught] - photo© Jennifer Palmer

Literature
McGuigan, K.L., Zhu, D., Allen, G.R. and Moritz, C. (2000). Phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeography of melanotaeniid fishes in Australia and New Guinea. Marine and Freshwater Research 51: 713-723.

McGuigan, K.L. (2001). An addition to the rainbowfish (Melanotaeniidae) fauna of north Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 46: 647-655.