Melanotaenia sylvatica

Melanotaenia sylvatica - photo© Gerald Allen

Allen, 1997
Forest Rainbowfish

Species Summary
Melanotaenia sylvatica have body colour of yellowish-bronze with narrow brownish-orange stripes between each scale row. Greenish brown on upper back; midlateral row of scales on side grey to blackish, connected to similar coloured stripe extending from edge of eye; lower half of head and body silvery-white, usually with variable duskiness associated with edge of scales on side of abdomen; dorsal and anal fins yellow to translucent bronze, grey near outer margin with fine white border; caudal fin clear or slightly grey; pelvis fins pale yellow; pectorals clear or with slight yellow tint. May reach a maximum size of 6 cm, but usually less than 5 cm.

Distribution & Habitat
Tributaries of the Lakekamu and Sapoi River drainage located approximately 150-km northwest of Port Moresby on the southern slope of the Central Dividing Range, Papua New Guinea. Typical habitat consists of small, clear; slow-flowing creeks in closed canopy forest over relatively flat terrain. These creeks typically have mud or gravel bottoms and littered with leaves and log debris. Common in deep pools behind fallen logs or buttress roots of large trees. In addition to Melanotaenia sylvatica, there is usually Melanotaenia goldiei and Melanotaenia rubrostriata.

Remarks
The species is named "sylvatica" (Latin: "of the forest") with reference to its typical forest habitat. Currently not available in the aquarium hobby.

Literature
Allen, G. R. (1997). A new species of rainbowfish (Melanotaenia: Melanotaeniidae), from the Lakekamu Basin, Papua New Guinea. Revue française d'Aquariologie 24 (1-2): 37-42.