Daintree rainbowfish
| Daintree rainbowfish | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Atheriniformes |
| Family: | Melanotaeniidae |
| Genus: | Cairnsichthys |
| Species: | C. bitaeniatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus | |
The Daintree rainbowfish (Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus) is a species of rainbowfish endemic to Australia. This species is endemic to the wet tropics of north eastern Queensland where it has been recorded from the Cooper Creek and nearby Hutchinson Creek systems of the Daintree region of north-eastern Queensland.[3] It was discovered as an isolated population in the Daintree rainforest and was originally thought to be the Cairns rainbowfish (C. rhombosomoides) but it was defined as its own species in 2018.[4]
This species occurs in small clear, shady rainforest streams which flow over a substrate consisting of rock, sand, gravel and log debris. Within these streams the fishes swim near the surface to midwater depths and are frequently found in the deeper pools of these streams where there is a faster current. They will form mixed schools with blue-eyes and other rainbowfishes.[3]
As of 2019[update], it has been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.[1] In 2023, it was also listed as Critically Endangered by the Australian Government under the EPBC Act however there is no Recovery or Threat Abatement Plan currently in place.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Martin, K.; Hammer, M.; Ebner, B. (2019). "Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T129041926A129041938. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T129041926A129041938.en. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ a b Bray, D.J. (2018). "Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ Hammer, Michael P.; Allen, Gerald R.; Martin, Keith C.; Adams, Mark; Ebner, Brendan C.; Raadik, Tarmo A.; Unmack, Peter J. (2018-04-23). "Revision of the Australian Wet Tropics endemic rainbowfish genus Cairnsichthys (Atheriniformes: Melanotaeniidae), with description of a new species". Zootaxa. 4413 (2): 271–294. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4413.2.3. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 29690109.
- ^ "Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus — Daintree Rainbowfish". Species Profile and Threats Database. Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
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