The green eye tetra, Moenkhausia chlorophthalma, and the lead tetra, Moenkhausia plumbea, are two new species of characins that have recently been described from the Tapajos river drainage system. In the most recent issue of Neotropical Ichthyology, Sousa et al formally described these two new species which are related to perennial aquarium favorites the red eye tetra and the diamond tetra. Like the red eye tetra, the green eye tetra, Moenkhausia chlorophthalma, is so named by the color of it’s eye, which is a brilliant green in living specimens, and somewhat visible in the specimen pictured in the image above. The green eye tetra originates from the tributaries of the Rio Xingu river drainage system. The lead tetra, Moenkhausia plumbea, was collected in the areas of the Tapajos River system and it superficially resembles the green eye tetra with a gold line on it’s side with a broader, darker stripe below it. Unlike the green eye tetra, the lead tetra does not have much coloration to the eye and it has a series of dark splotches on the upper part of the body. Both of the newly described species are closely related and similar in appearance to Moenkhausia petymbuaba, a species which was described in 2006 from the Rio Xingu river system. We don’t expect to see either the lead or green eye tetra for sale in aquarium shops any time soon but we guess that the green eye tetra could make for a striking ornamental aquarium fish.

[via PFK]