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Melanotaenia ogilbyi
Melanotaenia ogilbyi — photo © Gerald Allen

Melanotaenia ogilbyi

Weber, 1910

Ogilby's Rainbowfish

Etymology

The species is named in honour of ichthyologist James Douglas Ogilby (1853–1925), for his contributions to the knowledge of the fauna of Australia and New Guinea, especially of the family Melanotaeniidae.

Etymology compiled from C. Scharpf (2022), “Fishes of Sahul: An Etymological Survey (Part 5), the rainbowfishes (continued)”, Fishes of Sahul 36(4): 1968–1992, and etyfish.org.

Synonymy

Species Summary

Melanotaenia ogilbyi is a poorly known species which is known only on the basis of 7 specimens collected from pandanus swamps on the lower Lorentz River in western New Guinea. These were collected during the Dutch New Guinea Expedition of 1907 and no further specimens have been collected.

Melanotaenia ogilbyi have a bluish body colouration on the sides and back, becoming whitish ventrally. Each horizontal scale row on the blue portion of body is separated by narrow dark stripe. Fins are bluish to translucent, anterior edge of first dorsal fin and outer portions of second dorsal and anal fins dusky in males. Pelvis and pectoral fins translucent. Melanotaenia ogilbyi may reach a maximum size of 10 cm, but usually less than 8 cm.

This species belongs to the Maccullochi spp. group of rainbowfishes. The main differences between this species and its nearest relatives M. papuae, M. maccullochi, and M. sexlineata are related to colour pattern.

Distribution & Habitat

Found in tributaries of the Lorentz River, and streams north of Timika, West Papua. This species was first collected from the Noord-Fluss (North River) by the Dutch explorer Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz during an expedition in 1907. The Noord-Fluss River was later renamed the Lorentz River after Dr. Lorentz. Lorentz participated in three expeditions to Dutch New Guinea, the present-day West Papua (western) portion of the island of New Guinea. The first expedition was in 1903, led by A. Wichmann. Lorentz led expeditions in 1907 and 1909-1910.

The Lorentz River is one of the large slow-flowing rivers of the southern lowlands of New Guinea draining into the Arafura Sea near Agats. The river passes through several major wetland habitats including freshwater swamp forest, peat swamp forest and mangrove forest.

In 1995 Gerald Allen collected specimens in the vicinity of Timika. Melanotaenia ogilbyi are often found with Melanotaenia goldiei and Pseudomugil novaeguineae.

Remarks

Fish collected near Timika by Evers, Wagnitz et al. and considered to be M. ogilbyi have become available in Europe and North America. Another population from near Kiura, also believed to be M. ogilbyi but showing much more red on the body, has also become available. Maintenance in the aquarium requires blackwater conditions, and this species has proven to be quite delicate when the conditions are not adequate.

References