Melanotaenia nigrans 



H. E. FIMCKH 



Roj)al Zoological Society of Me^ South Wales 



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Melanotaenia nigrans 



Photograph by Author 



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The atherine, Melanotaenia nigrans, is 

 a beautiful aqurium fish inhabiting the 

 western river system of New South 

 Wales and the northern coastal rivers of 

 Queensland. My examples measure four 

 inches long and are rather shy. I have 

 not succeeded in breeding it, either in 

 pond or aquarium, and so far as I am 

 aware its spawning habits- are yet un- 

 known. 



The color of the body above is light 

 brown and the lower part of a pinkish 

 gray. Every scale gleams with iridescent 



color, showing alternately red, green, 

 blue and yellow, giving an effect scarcely 

 equalled by such showy fish as the Mexi- 

 can swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri. The 

 two dorsal fins, and the anal and caudal, 

 emerge from the body bright yellow and 

 pass into red with a narrow black band. 

 The gill-covers scintillate with bright red, 

 yellow and green, making a suitable set- 

 ting for the large and prominent white 

 eye, with iris circled by a yellow band. 

 The atherine is a fish that once seen will 

 be long remembered. 



