... an added bonus to this recent survey was the rediscovery of the Paska’s Blue-eye, a fish species that was not seen since its first discovery in 1983. The Paska’s Blue-eye (Pseudomugil paskai) is a small (approximately 3 cm long), delicate, colourful fish, that lives in shallow streams and swampy areas in lowland rainforest.
It was first discovered in a few small creeks near Kiunga, by Gerry Allen, from the Western Australian Museum, and the late John Paska, after whom it was named. It is endemic to the Kiunga area of North Fly District.
Although the name John Paska resonates with the PNG Workers Union, the Late Mr Paska was a fisheries technician with the National Fisheries Authority at the time of the initial discovery.
Despite numerous surveys over the years, Paska’s Blue-eye was never seen again in the last 40 years.
OTML Manager Environment, Erizo Kepe said, “Given its rarity, its absence was a concern. It was believed that disturbance from the expanding township of Kiunga, as well as predatory action from introduced fish species such as Snakehead had resulted in its disappearance from the creeks where it was first discovered. But given the large size of the Fly catchment, there was hope that it was still surviving somewhere in the river system.”
The rediscovery was made at Gusiore Village, at a small creek along Elevala River, a sub catchment of the Fly River, upstream of Kiunga. Sampling at other nearby creeks found additional populations.
