Pseudomugil reticulatus (male) - photo© Hans Herbert Boeck

Pseudomugil reticulatus

Species Summary
Pseudomugil reticulatus is a small, slender and laterally compressed species, growing to a length of around 3 to 4 cm SL. Body colour in males light brown; abdomen and swim bladder region silvery. The ventral part of the breast is yellow. The upper half of the first dorsal fin, anterior half of the second dorsal and the edge of the anal fin is coloured brick-red. The dorsal and ventral contour posterior to the second dorsal and anal fins are edged with a similar red. The upper and lower third of the caudal fin is also red. The head has a red tinge while the ventral fins are pinkish-red. The eyes are intensely blue. The edges of some scales on the abdomen are edged with black. Female specimens show a stronger reticular pattern and yellow fins (similar in colour as described by Allen and Ivantsoff in 1986). Body colour yellow brown, edges of scales outlined with chromatophores, edges of rays and spines peppered with chromatophores. Eggs are orange-red in colour.

Distribution & Habitat
Pseudomugil reticulatus were collected about two kilometres east of Ayamaru (Ajamaru) Lake in the centre of the Vogelkop Peninsula. The lakes are located at the headwaters of the Ajamaru River which drains into the Kais River, eventually flowing into the Ceram Sea to the south. Habitat variable, from clear water (in some cases heavily stained with tannin) running swiftly over mud, gravel and sand, to slow-flowing water over similar terrain. Water temperature about 26-27°C; pH always slightly above neutral (7.1-7.6). They have also been collected from the Manggosa and Saengga rivers (Siripa Creek, Burma Hill Creek, Texas Creek) on the north coast of the Bomberai Peninsula. Both flow north into Bintuni Bay (Burnett et al., 2003).

Pseudomugil reticulatus (female) - photo© G.R. Allen

Literature
Allen G.R. & W. Ivantsoff (1986) Deux nouvelles espèces de blue-eyes (Pseudomugil: Melanotaeniidae) de Nouvelle-Guinée. Revue française d'Aquariologie 12 (3): 85-88.

Allen G.R. (1991) Field guide to the freshwater fishes of New Guinea. Christensen Research Institute, Madang, Papua New Guinea.

Allen G.R., K. Hortle and S. Renyaan (2000) Freshwater Fishes of the Timika Region, New Guinea. P.T. Freeport Indonesia, Timika, Indonesia.

Burnett J.B., M. Davies and G. Taylor (2003) Flora and Fauna Survey of the Tangguh LNG Site, Papua Province, Indonesia, Results of a biodiversity survey of the BP-Pertamina project site in Bintuni Bay, Papua Province, Indonesia. Joint report prepared by IPCA and P.T. Hatfindo Prima. Bogor: P.T. Hatfindo Prima.

Ivantsoff W., Aarn, M.A. Shepherd and G.R. Allen (1997) Pseudomugil reticulatus (Pisces: Pseudomugilidae), a review of the species described from a single specimen from Vogelkop Peninsula, Irian Jaya, with further evaluation of the systematics of Atherinoidea. Aqua Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology, 2(4):53-64.

Saeed B., W. Ivantsoff, and G. R. Allen (1989) Taxonomic revision of the family Pseudomugilidae (Order Atheriniformes). Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 40: 719-787.

Adrian R. Tappin
Updated June, 2018