The Running River rainbowfish (Melanotaenia sp., also known as the Burdekin rainbowfish, Hidden Valley rainbowfish or zig zag rainbowfish[1]) is an undescribed species of rainbowfish found only in freshwater, specifically, Running River, part of the Burdekin River catchment in northern Queensland, Australia. The species used to be included with the Melanotaenia splendida splendida (eastern rainbowfish) but has since been deemed genetically distinct.[2]
A yellow/green fish with red fins. They have a yellow midlateral stripe, and narrow black stripes creating a zigzag pattern along the lower side of the fish.[2]
Taxonomy
Although discovered in 1982 by Ray Leggett,[3] the species was never formally described as its taxonomy was unclear.[1] However, genetic analysis supports the Running River rainbowfish as a distinct species, rather than a colour variety of the eastern rainbowfish.[3]
Conservation
In the wild, the Running River rainbowfish is confined to a 13 km stretch of Running River (a tributary of the Burdekin River), isolated between two gorges.[3]Large waterfalls that the fish cannot swim up also prevent the Running River rainbowfish from moving location.[4] In August 2015, ecologists Peter Unmack and Michael Hammer discovered that eastern rainbowfish had been introduced into the upper section of Running River, and were hybridising and introgressing with the Running River rainbowfish.[3][5] Due to this hybridisation threat, the Australian Society for Fish Biology listed the Running River rainbowfish as critically endangered in September 2016.[5]The classification was based on the IUCN criteria, but cannot be federally listed due to not yet being described.[4]
In August 2015, researchers from the University of Canberra and James Cook University began a captive breeding program using 'pure' Running River rainbowfish captured from the wild.[3] By September 2016, they had bred about 3000 individuals.[3] These captive-bred fish are being released into two nearby tributaries, Deception Creek and Puzzle Creek, beginning in November 2016.[5]
As of 2023 the captive breeding program has been declared a success. There are now thriving captive populations in Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC)’s Mount Zero-Taravale Wildlife Sanctuary (Gugu Badhun country).[6]
References
12Unmack PJ and Hammer MP (2015) Fishes of Sahul, 29(4): 933–936 (December 2015)
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