Forest Rainbowfish Melanotaenia sylvatica
Endangered
Location: Papua New Guinea
The Forest Rainbow fish lives in small, 1-3 m wide, clear, slow-flowing creeks in closed-canopy rainforest on relatively flat terrain. These typically have a mud or gravel bottom littered with leaves and log debris. The maximum size of this species is at least 5.5 cm SL (Allen 1997, G.R. Allen pers. comm. 2019).
The Forest Rainbow Fish lives in the creeks and rivers of #PapuaNewGuinea. They are threatened by #pollution run-off from #palmoil #deforestation. They have no known conservation. Make art about this animal and join the #Boycott4Wildlife
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This species of fish is threatened by commercial logging and oil palm plantations in the region (A. Mungkaje and U. Kolkolo pers. comm. 2019). Oil palm plantations are primarily found in the coastal plain and so logging is likely to be the more signficant threat.
ICUN Red List
This species is assessed as Endangered. This fish species has a restricted area of occupancy (AOO) of 20 km2. The primary threat is commercial logging and there is a single location based on this threat. They are also leading to an inferred continuing decline in habitat.
Further Information
Allen, G.R. 2020. Melanotaenia sylvatica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161111293A161111315. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161111293A161111315.en. Downloaded on 31 January 2021.
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