Delicate Blue Eye, Pseudomugil tenellus Taylor 1964

Delicate Blue Eyes, Pseudomugil tenellus, from Fish River Station, Douglas Daly Research Farm, Northern Territory. Source: Dave Wilson via Robert Whyte / Flickr. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives
Delicate Blue Eye, Pseudomugil tenellus Taylor 1964
More Info
Distribution |
Two disjunct populations: Finniss River to East Alligator River system, Northern Territory, and the Edward River area of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Also occurs in the Transfly region of southern Papua New Guinea. Inhabits freshwater billabongs, quiet backwaters and overflow pools of rivers and creeks. Usually found in areas with muddy and gravel bottoms and abundant aquatic vegetation including water lilies. |
Features |
Dorsal fin III-V + 6-7; Anal fin 7-10; Pectoral fin 10-12. Scales cycloid with well-developed radii; horizontal scale rows 8; vertical scale rows 25 to 28; cheek scales 3-4; Two separate dorsal fins; first dorsal fin origin just behind tips of pectoral and anterior to anal fin origin; anal fin origin in front of second dorsal origin; base of second dorsal and anal fins short. dorsal and anal fins lack rigid spines; pectoral fins short and set in a horizontal plane; fin rays not elongate in males. |
Size |
To 5.5 cm SL, commonly to 4 cm or less. |
Colour |
Semi-transparent to light blue-grey; golden yellowish above midlateral stripe; network of dark scale margins dorsally; midlateral stripe consisting of series of discontinuous silvery spots becoming larger in older fish; basal areas of second dorsal and anal fins dark, with outer margins light yellow. |
Feeding |
Feeds mostly on micro-crustaceans, insect larvae and algae. |
Biology |
Breeds mostly during the early wet season. Males display to females by intensifying their colours and erecting their ornate fins. Breeding episodes last several days with females depositing 4-10 adhesive eggs per day amongst aquatic vegetation. Larvae hatch in 2-3 weeks. |
Fisheries |
A popular aquarium fish, mostly bred in captivity. |
Conservation |
Not listed |
Remarks |
Colour varies with geographic location, reproductive condition and water conditions. |
Similar Species |
Pseudomugil tenellus differs from others in the genus in anal fin ray and transverse scale counts. |
Etymology |
The specific name is from the Latin tenellus (= delicate). in reference to the “small dainty or delicate appearance” of this species. |
Species Citation |
Pseudomugil tenellus Taylor 1964, Rec. Am.-Aust. Sci. Exp. Arnhem Land 4: 132. Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. |
Author |
Bray, D.J. & Thompson, V.J. 2024 |
Resources |
Delicate Blue Eye, Pseudomugil tenellus Taylor 1964
References
Allen, G.R. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 240 pp., 63 pls.
Allen, G.R. 1991. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of New Guinea. Madang : Christensen Research Institute 268 pp.
Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp.
Allen, G.R. & Cross, N.J. 1982. Rainbowfishes of Australia and Papua-New Guinea. New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 142 pp. figs.
Bishop, K.A., S.A. Allen, D.A. Pollard & M.G. Cook. 2001. Ecological studies on the freshwater fishes of the Alligator Rivers Region, Northern Territory. Autecology. Supervising Scientist Report 145, Supervising Scientist, Darwin.
Hammer, M. & Kennard, M. 2019. Pseudomugil tenellus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T123358405A123382756. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T123358405A123382756.en. Accessed on 16 July 2024.
Howe, E. 1987. Breeding behaviour, egg surface morphology and embryonic development in four Australian species of the genus Pseudomugil (Pisces : Melanotaeniidae). Marine and Freshwater Research 38(6): 885-895 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF9870885
Larson, H.K. & Martin, K.C. 1990. Freshwater Fishes of the Northern Territory. Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences Handbook Series Number 1. Darwin : Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 102 pp. 73 figs.
Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293
Leggett, R. & Merrick, J.R. 1987. Australian Native Fishes for Aquariums. Artarmon : J.R. Merrick Publications 241 pp. 142 figs.
Merrick, J.R. & Schmida, G.E. 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes Biology and Management. Sydney : J.R. Merrick 409 pp. figs 280 col. figs.
Pusey, B.J., Burrows, D.W., Kennard, M.J., Perna, C.N., et al. 2017. Freshwater fishes of northern Australia. Zootaxa 4253(1): 1-104
Saeed, B., Ivantsoff, W. & Allen, G.R. 1989. Taxonomic revision of the family Pseudomugilidae (Order Atheriniformes). Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 40: 719-787
Semple, G.P. 1985. Pseudomugil tenellus - maintenance, reproduction and early development of the delicate blue-eye. Fishes of Sahul 3(2): 109-113.
Taylor, W.R. 1964. Fishes of Arnhem Land. Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 4: 44-307 figs 1-68