Scientists have described a tiny fluorescent green loricariid catfish from Argentina.
The new species has been named Epactionotus aky by a team of ichthyologists from Argentina's Museo de La Plata and a German scientist in the journal Verhandlungen der Gesselschaft fur Ichthyologie.
Epactionotus aky is a member of the hypoptopomine tribe Otothyrini and was found in the Rio Uruguay basin in Misiones, Argentina.
The fish grows to a few centimetres in length and has a very bright green colour, along with a number of darker dots and squiggles on the flanks.
The fish was actually discovered in 2002 during a collecting trip to Argentina and was originally believed to be a species of Hisonotus.
It is believed to spend most of its time hidden from view on the undersides of Echinodorus plants.
Aquarium observations on the new fish suggest that the bright green colour pattern is related to mood. However, the fishkeepers who kept the fish said that food or water quality might also be responsible.
For more details see the paper: Azpellicueta, MDLM., Casciotta, J., Almiron, A. and S. Korber (2004) - A new species of Otothyrini (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the Rio Uruguay basin, Argentina. Verhandlungen der Gesselschaft fur Ichthyologie. 2004. 81-90.