Italy – Miradolo Terme, January 2008
New rainbowfish first discovered in 1992 on Island Batanta – Indonesia, is now described
Italy – Miradolo Terme, January 2008
Heiko discovered this rainbowfish on the Island Batanta in 1992 and was the first man to explore this remote Indonesian island ichthyologically. This beauty has been reproduced since and is found in the aquarium hobby worldwide. But the fish had no name, except for the fact that G. R. Allen thought it is Melanotaenia misoolensis, which Heiko did not believe. Only after the collection of M. misoolenis years later by both and by Natasha on Misool, was also Allen convinced that the Batanta rainbowfish is a different and a new species. Last September the Monaco-Asia Society and Conservation International had organized their Blue Auction (see under Special Events) and among 11 fish names, also the name of this beauty was auctioned by Christis of London. It went for US$ 65,000 and to honour Peggy Dulany on the twentieth anniversary of the Synergos Institute, which she founded in 1986, it was named Melanotaenia synergos.
Photographed at Marcel Dielen´s home in Belgium
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