the individual variants were always differently colored,
too. Whether they are from the Kopi River, Deki Creek,
near Timika, or a few kilometers away, it is always the
same species.
On the same trip, around the Kopi River, a new
blue-eye was discovered that is very closely related to
P. novaeguineae and P. paludicola. All three species have
surface-oriented lives and lay red eggs. I call them “sur-
face blue-eyes.” Allen, Ivantsoff, Shepherd, and Renyaan
described the new species as Pseudomugil pellucidus in- On further trips to the Timika region, differently
colored animals were discovered at different places. The
latest finds, by Hans-Georg Evers in 2015 and 2017,
included animals that had nice red dorsal fins.
The Australian scientist Bob Wang examined a total
of 56 specimens of P. signifer in 2004. He demonstrated
what some aquarists had claimed for some time: that
there is a genetic difference between the populations
of the northeast coast of Australia and those from the
south. The dividing line between the two species runs
along the Burdekin River. Wang proposed designating
the northeast form P. signatus.
In 2007, Bleher traveled to the Aru Islands between
Australia and New Guinea. His aim was to confirm P.
gertrudae in the type location. He succeeded in doing
this, and the descendants of the specimens he brought
back are now known as P. gertrudae “Aru 2” and P. ger-
trudae “Aru 4.” On this trip, Bleher found several other
blue-eyes, which he called Pseudomugil sp. 1–4. These
four species could not be maintained in the hobby.Newest developments
Some members of the IRG have also visited Australia
and New Guinea. For example, Gilbert Maebe brought
home blue-eyes from Australia, along with many rain-
bowfishes. Through his good connections, he was able
to export fishes from Australia legally. Thanks to his
activities, some blue-eyes species have been preserved in
the aquarium world.
Johannes Graf organized some fish imports from
Australia and also visited the West Papua region, the
western side of New Guinea. In 2010, he and his travel
partner, Gary Lange, discovered a blue-eye in the Ei-
landen River system that is very similar to P. gertrudae
and P. paskai. It is now clear (Allen et al. 2016) that it is
a variant of Pseudomugil gertrudae.
Hans-Georg Evers, first known as a fan of catfishes
and “white-wine–colored fishes,” became interested in
rainbowfishes and blue-eyes. On his travels he discov-
ered two varieties of P. pellucidus and was on the trail
of a potentially new blue-eye, but his travel group was
denied access to the biotope.
In the autumn of 2011, Aquarium Dietzenbach
brought a new blue-eye to Europe, which was offered
under different names (Pseudomugil sp. “Red Neon,” P.
paskai “Red Neon”). In November, I received my firstAMAZONAS
F. SCHEIFINGER
Although the Honey Blue-Eye
(Pseudomugil mellis) is difficult
to breed, many experts keep it.