Rainbows
Common Name:
Forktail Blue-eye
Family: Pseudomugilidae
Scientific Name: Pseudomugil furcatus Nichols, 1955
Other Names: Popondetta furcata Allen, 1982; Popondichthys furcatus Allen, 1987
Description
The body colour is yellow-green in both males and females. Dorsal and anal fins in male transparent, with narrow yellow margin. Pelvic and pectoral fins often tinged with red. Caudal fin lobes yellowish with black dorsal and ventral margins. Females caudal fin lobes yellowish, pectoral and pelvic fins transparent. Outer part of second dorsal fin yellowish.
This species was originally named Pseudomugil furcatus in 1955. However, in a review of the family Melanotaeniidae in 1980, they were separated from the Pseudomugil genus and placed in a new genus Popondetta, and were named Popondetta furcata. It was then later discovered that the genus name Popondetta was previously used and in 1987 they underwent another name change and were called Popondichthys furcatus. Two years were to pass and following a review of the Pseudomugil genus in 1989, the Blue-eye group, including Pseudomugil furcatus, were placed in their own family Pseudomugilidae and they were returned to their original name Pseudomugil furcatus.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea between Dyke Ackland and Collingwood bays. They were collected for the first time in 1953 from a small stream near Pumani Village situated in the eastern lowlands of Papua New Guinea. They have also been collected from Safia, in the Musa River valley where they are relatively common in small, clear rainforest streams.
Habitat
They are generally found in small, clear, relatively swift-flowing freshwater streams with abundant aquatic vegetation. Temperature and pH in these streams range from 24-27° Celsius and 7.0-8.0.