The Lost Rainbowfish – Melanotaenia corona

“When is a legend legend? Why is a myth a myth? How old and disused must a fact be for it to be relegated to the category ‘Fairy-tale’?”[i]

 In the waning days of April 1911, a Dutch born doctor and officer in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army stood in a stream in the hinterland of northeastern Dutch East Indies and dipped a net into the water swirling around his legs. When the net was pulled, it contained one, possibly two, specimens of what has come to be described as “the rarest and most poorly known of all rainbowfish species”.[ii] In fact, in the 105 years since that day no other specimens have ever been knowingly captured.

Anyone who develops an interest in rainbowfish – a serious interest – inevitably becomes enraptured with the myriad species that are known to exist. Some, like Melanotaenia boesemani, M. lacustris, and M. trifasciata, have become ubiquitous in the global aquarium hobby. Others, like Chilatherina alleni, Glossolepis wanamensis, or M. parva, are well known, occasionally available, and sought after by rainbowfish enthusiasts. Some species, like M. garylangei, M. picta and M. rubrivittata, have recently been introduced and show signs of becoming popular within both the rainbowfish enthusiast community and the aquarium hobby at large. And then there are species like C. pricei, M. maylandi and M. sneideri, where information, including photographs of live specimens and detailed locale data is available, but which have never been collected for captivity.

But only one species – Melanotaenia corona – is virtually unknown.

The species was first described on the basis of two specimens (both male) by Dr. Gerald R. Allen in Melanotaenia corona, A New Species of Rainbowfish from Northern New Guinea (Pisces, Atheriniformes, Melanotaeniidae), published in 1982. In that description, which contains a black and white photograph of the preserved paratype, Dr. Allen relates that the species was collected from the Sermowai River in 1911 by an individual identified only as “K. Gjellerup”. He further informs that Gjellerup’s collection of fish specimens was provided to Professor Max C. W. Weber at the University of Amsterdam, who described some of the specimens in the 1913 publication Süsswasserfische aus Niederländisch Süd und Nord-Neu-Guinea (Freshwater Fish from Dutch South and North New Guinea), along with some material collected by Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, Captain A. J. Gooszen, Dr. Willem van Heurn, Dr. Pieter Nicolaas van Kampen, Dr. J. W. R. Koch and Dr. Hendrik Lorentz.

While some of the fish from Gjellerup’s collection were described, others, including the two extant specimens of what came to be described as M. corona, were overlooked. In his seminal work of 1995, Rainbowfishes: In Nature and in the Aquarium (published in 1995), Dr. Allen expounded, informing that he had located the two specimens “in an uncatalogued jar at the Zoological Museum in Amsterdam”,[iii] and it was this discovery that resulted in the aforementioned paper of 1982.

But between Dr. Allen’s description of 1982 and his book of 1995, there is very little additional information about where M. corona originates. Under the “Material examined” section of his paper, he records that M. corona was “collected at Sermowai River, near Walckenaer Bay, northern New Guinea (approximately 2°47’S, 140°00’E) by K. Gjellerup, 29 April 1911.”

Later in the same paper, under “Sympatric occurrence”, he writes; “(f)our other species of rainbowfish were collected by Gjellerup from the Sermowai River: Chilatherina crassispinosa (Weber), C. fasciata (Weber), C. lorentzi (Weber), and Melanotaenia affinis. However, it is not known if they share the same habitat with Melanotaenia corona.”

Finally, under the “Status” section of the Melanotaenia corona entry of his book, Dr. Allen informs that “(a)ccording to GJELLERUP’s narrative report he went up the Lower Sermowai river by boat for 3 days until a large waterfall was encountered. They climbed 400 metres to get above the falls and then spent 3 days in the Upper Sermowai Valley, where the specimens of M. corona were collected.” Also in that entry is a colour drawing of M. corona as imaged by “C. Harper”.

And that is the extent of published information on M. corona. There are other mentions (for example the entry at Adrian R. Tappin’s Home of the Rainbowfish), but they are essentially a re-presentation of the information initially gathered by Dr. Allen.

So, what was known about M. corona;

  1. Two specimens exist, both male, and were gathered on April 29th, 1911 by Gjellerup.
  2. Reportedly collected during three days spent in the Upper Sermowai River Valley.
  3. Approximate collection coordinates were 2°47’S, 140°00’E.
  4. Specimens were provided to Weber at the University of Amsterdam.
  5. Specimens were overlooked during Weber’s work in preparing Süsswasserfische aus Niederländisch Süd und Nord-Neu-Guinea.
  6. Specimens were re-discovered in 1981 by Dr. Allen in an uncatalogued jar at the Zoological Museum in Amsterdam.
  7. Formally described in Dr. Allen’s Melanotaenia corona, A New Species of Rainbowfish from Northern New Guinea (Pisces, Atheriniformes, Melanotaeniidae), published in 1982.
  8. One black and white photograph of the preserved paratype has been published.
  9. One colour drawing as imaged by C. Harper has been published.

With such a dearth of information, it is easy to understand how M. corona has achieved an almost legendary status within the rainbowfish community. And, as befits a legend, several individuals have undertaken attempts to verify the legend, to collect live specimens.

In Rainbowfishes: In Nature and in the Aquarium, Dr. Allen relates that he tried to find the fish in 1991, but was prevented from doing so due to flooding.[iv] I’ve been informed that during an expedition in 1991 that saw a successful collection of C. sentaniensis, Charles Nishihira also made an unsuccessful attempt to find M. corona.[v] As recently as 2009 Heiko Bleher intimated that he was looking for it, posting in a forum; “M. corona I am quite sure where to find it now, but need lots of money to reach the area… I am going back later this year, as every year since 1974 (sometimes twice in a year). maybe by the end of this year I have some news for you…”.[vi] But despite this hopeful post, and several earlier attempts, Bleher hasn’t been able to find this elusive fish. I’ve also been informed that David Price spent a significant amount of time unsuccessfully looking for it,[vii] and that Gary Lange and Johanne Graf undertook expeditions in 2008, 2010 and 2012 where attempts were made to find M. corona,[viii] with Lange informing in an online post that he had also looked in 2005.[ix]

Multiple individuals, individuals who number in the most successful rainbowfish discoverers of the last twenty-five years, and no one has found this legendary fish. Obviously something is missing. Perhaps M. corona is extinct, but the common consensus seems to be that they are in a location that just hasn’t been rediscovered.

So… if M. corona still exists, but hasn’t been re-discovered despite the extensive experience, knowledge, skills and instinct possessed by those who have gone looking, perhaps it is best to go back to the very beginning and look at it all again. And it all starts with the individual identified only as “K. Gjellerup”.

knud-gjellerup
Knud Gjellerup, circa 1910 at the Hollandia bivouac.

Knud Gjellerup was born November 26th, 1876, in Sorø, Zealand, Denmark.[x] One of seven children born to Poul Frederik Jacob Gjellerup and Rosa Conradine Dorothea von der Recke, Gjellerup appears to have been strongly influenced by his heritage.

His mother was a von der Recke, a Westphalian noble family with not only a history of extensive military service, but also a history of exploration. His grandfather, Johan Adolph von der Recke, had been a Kaptajnløjtnant (Lieutenant Commander) in the Søværnet (Royal Danish Navy), his great-grandfather was Colonel Johan Zepelin von der Recke, his great-great-grandfather was Ritmester (Captain of the Calvary) Ernst David von der Recke, and his great-great-great-grandfather, Colonel Diedrich Adolph von der Recke, had been a famous surveyor in the history of Denmark.[xi]

And he was also strongly influenced by his paternal family. His father, Poul Frederik Jacob Gjellerup, was a physician, and his uncle was Karl Adolph Gjellerup, a famous Danish author who would later share the 1917 Nobel Prize in Literature.[xii]

What was the scion of a military family and the son of a doctor to do? Of course he studied medicine, became a doctor, and enrolled in the military. But he didn’t enroll in the Royal Netherlands Army (Koninklijke Landmacht or KL), but for some unknown reason in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger or KNIL), the military force created by the Netherlands government exclusively for service in the Dutch colony, Netherlands East Indies.

So, in 1904 and at the age of 28, Knud arrived in the Netherlands East Indies, and was assigned to West Sumatra, just in time for the conclusion of what is known as the Aceh War. The following five years saw him posted to North Sumatra, Java and the Celebes.[xiii]

Around this time the Netherlands East Indies were considered pacified, and the attention of the KNIL turned to policing and exploration duties. Some indigenous populations had experienced brutality and exploitation with villages being raided and slave-taking known, all while the Netherlands East Indies colonial government’s attention was on attempting to consolidate their claim to the territory. Now, with the territory considered to be under peaceful rule, the colonial government wanted to know more about these populations, many of which had been overlooked or ignored, and wanted to know more about the geography and resources available for exploitation. So they tasked the KNIL with undertaking an anthropological survey to learn about populations poorly known and those unknown, mapping areas unmapped, and to discover… well, to discover whatever else was undiscovered.

In response, the KNIL created four Military Exploration Detachments to undertake this work. The first, West New Guinea, became active in late 1906 under the initial command of 1st Lieutenant Commander R. Vogel, followed by South New Guinea in July 1907 (Captain Commander A. J. Gooszen commanding), Northern New Guinea in September 1907 (Captain Frans Jonathan Pieter Sachse commanding), and finally Mamberamo Area in November 1913 under the command of Captain Commander J.V.L. Oppermann. The combined work of these four detachments has been called “one of the greatest organized exploring efforts of a territory ever.”[xiv]

In late 1909 Gjellerup was reassigned from the Celebes area to the Northern New Guinea Military Exploration Detachment bivouacked in Hollandia[xv] as the detachment’s doctor and filling the position of Public Health Officer. He hadn’t originally been assigned to the detachment but was sent as a substitute when the original doctor, P.M. Baldings, fell ill with beriberi and was evacuated. Dr. Baldings perished from the disease soon thereafter, driving home the dangers of serving in a Military Exploration Detachment.[xvi] Almost immediately upon his arrival in the final week of 1909, Gjellerup began participating in exploration expeditions.

In 1910 Gjellerup participated in the Humboldt Bay Expedition (Tami and Upper Tami River, Humboldt Bay and Eti River), the Dutch-German Boundary Delimitation Expedition (Mosso River, Bewani River and Begowi River), and spent time exploring the Sepik River, Humboldt Bay once again, and Jotefa Bay.[xvii]

Then, in 1911, Gjellerup participated in the Sermowai Expedition, where M. corona was discovered, and where our interest lies.[xviii]

Now the information from Gjellerup’s narrative report as relayed by Allen, specifically, “he went up the Lower Sermowai river by boat for 3 days until a large waterfall[xix] was encountered. They climbed 400 metres to get above the falls and then spent 3 days in the Upper Sermowai Valley”, gives the impression that the Sermowai Expedition was relatively short. Three days to get up the river, three days in the Upper Sermowai River Valley, three days to get back to the starting point… heck, add a day to climb the waterfall, and another day to descend them, and you get only eleven days. A lot of ground can’t really be covered in only eleven days, especially when half that time is spent on the return trip. But that means that there isn’t a lot of area to examine in an attempt to re-discover M. corona.

But once again, if M. corona hasn’t been found in what can considered to be a relatively restricted geographic region, well… perhaps it is best to go back to the very beginning and look at it all again.

The activities and operations of Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and those of the Military Exploration Detachments is a part of history, and a part of history that isn’t covered to a great degree. But, while there isn’t much information, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any. One of the easiest documents to locate was the book Verslag van de Militaire Exploratie van Neder-Landsch-Nieuw-Guinee 1907-1915 (Report of the Military Exploration of Lower Land New Guinea 1907-1915). However, it, like most of the documents relating to those entities and associated events, was written in Dutch. Still, with the use of translation software and websites, clean and clear translations are able to be obtained.

detachment
Left to Right – Back Row: 2nd Lt. AFH Dalhuisen, likely 1st Lt. FL Rambonnet, Captain of the Hr. Ms. Edi.  Front Row: Public Health Officer, 2nd Class Knud Gjellerup, Captain Commander FJP Sachse, 1st Lt. GA Scheffer, and geologist Dr. PF Hubrecht.

In Verslag van de Militaire Exploratie van Neder-Landsch-Nieuw-Guinee 1907-1915, it is revealed that Gjellerup’s Sermowai Expedition… wasn’t. That is, it wasn’t Gjellerup’s, but rather under the command of the Northern New Guinea Military Exploration Detachment’s second-in-command, 1e Luitenant (1st Lieutenant) GA Scheffer.[xx] In addition to him and Gjellerup, Luitenant ter zee 2de klasse (Lieutenant, 2nd Class) AW Staverman accompanied the expedition, along with an unknown number of guides and Dajak porters.

Further, the report informs that Scheffer’s expedition began on March 19th, 1911 and concluded on May 19th, 1911. 63 days.

Significantly longer than the 13 days indirectly inferred from Gjellerup’s journal.

But the length of the expedition wasn’t the only information uncovered. I was surprised to learn that almost concurrent with the Scheffer expedition was another expedition, one that was undertaking an anthropological exploration the areas around the Sermowai watershed. This one, under the direct command of the Northern New Guinea Military Exploration Detachment’s commanding officer Captain Commander F. J. P. Sachse, also included the detachment’s geologist Dr. Paul Francoise Hubrecht, the other Luitenant ter zee 2de klasse, AFH Dalhuisen, and was in the field from March 23rd, 1911 until May 19th, 1911, or 59 days.[xxi]

An excerpt from another book, De Exploratie van Nieuw–Guinea (Exploration of New Guinea) by J. J. Staal, provides some information on where each expedition travelled, as does De Saweh-Stam Der Papoea’s in Noord Nieuw-Guinea (The Saweh Tribe of Papuans in Northern New Guinea), a paper written by Gjellerup based on his and Sachse’s experiences with the local populations during their respective expeditions.

Using those sources (and cross-referencing with others), it is possible to determine that the following villages and localities were visited in the following approximate order by the two concurrent expeditions;

Scheffer’s (Gjellerup’s) Expedition

Sachse’s Expedition

However, with the exception of beginning and ending locations, there are only three instances where approximate dates can be correlated to specific geographic locations based on these narrative reports.

Another example of a specific geographic location being correlated to specific date is actually Dr. Allen’s description of M. corona itself. If somewhat detailed collection information was provided for that species, was detailed collection information available for other specimens gathered by Gjellerup during Scheffer’s expedition? A short search found an additional eight documents that list specimens attributed as being gathered by Gjellerup between March 19th and May 19th, 1911. Those publications are;

  1. Contributions to Indo-Australian Herpetology – Dr. L.B. Brongersma – 1934
  2. A Review of the New Genus Anischnogaster in the Papua Region (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) – J. Van Der Vecht
  3. The Freshwater Therapontidae of New Guinea – G. F. Mees – 1977
  4. The Taxonomy and Biogeography of the Loriae Group of the Genus Baeturia, Stal (Homoptera, Tibicinidae) – A.J. de Boer – 1994
  5. On a Collection of Land, Freshwater and Marine Mollusca from Northern New Guinea – M.M. Schepman – 1918
  6. Reptilien aus Nord-Neuguinea (Reptiles from Northern New Guinea) – Dr. Nelly de Rooij – 1915
  7. Susswasswefische aus Niederlandisch sud und Nord-Neu-Guinea (Freshwater Fish of Dutch South and North New Guinea) – Prof. Max Weber – 1913
  8. Tijdschrift Voor Etomologie (Journal of Entemology) – Dr. J. Th. Oudemans, Prof. Dr. J.C. H. De Meijere and Dr. A.C. Oudemans – 1913

Cross referencing the specimens listed in these documents as being gathered by Gjellerup, it is possible to construct a rough timeline of the Scheffer Expedition (rainbowfish species in bold).

Species Collected As Valid Name Animal Location Date Source
Dendrophis calligaster Dendrophis calligaster snake Upper Sermowai March 23, 1911 6
Pseudelaps muelleri Aspidomorphus muelleri snake Upper Sermowai March 25, 1911 1
Ultrocalamus preussi Toxicocalamus preussi snake Upper Sermowai March 25, 1911 6
Lygosoma cyanogaster Emoia cyanogaster reptile Upper Sermowai March 27, 1911 6
Lygosoma fuseum Lygosoma fuseum reptile Lower Sermowai March 29, 1911 6
Lygosoma iridescens Emoia kordoana reptile Upper Sermowai March 29, 1911 6
Lygosoma minutum Sphenomorphus minutus reptile Upper Sermowai March 29, 1911 6
Lygosoma mivarti Emoia mivarti reptile Upper Sermowai March 29, 1911 6
Lygosoma pulchrum Lipinia pulchra reptile Upper Sermowai March 29, 1911 6
Gonyocephalus nigrigularis Hypsilurus nigrigularis reptile Lower Sermowai March 30, 1911 6
Gonocephalus dilophus Hypsilurus dilophus reptile Lower Sermowai March 30, 1911 6
Eleotris heterodon Oxyeleotris heterodon fish Lake Sentani April 1, 1911 7
Anischnogaster iridipennis Anischnogaster iridipennis insect Upper Sermowai April 1, 1911 2
Papuina kubaryi Papuina kubaryi crustacean Upper Sermowai April 1, 1911 5
Planispira musgravei Planispira musgravei mollusc Upper Sermowai April 1, 1911 5
Sitala crenocarinata Sitala crenocarinata mollusc Upper Sermowai April 1, 1911 5
Gjellerupia neoguinensis Gjellerupia neoguinensis arachnid Upper Sermowai April 3, 1911 8
Narberia biroi Narberia biroi insect Upper Sermowai April 3, 1911 8
Gonyocephalus modestus Gonocephalus modestus reptile Upper Sermowai April 4, 1911 6
Lygosoma pulchrum Lipinia pulchra reptile Upper Sermowai April 4, 1911 6
Melania kampeni Melania kampeni mollusc Upper Sermowai April 4, 1911 5
Tribolonotus gracilis Tribolonotus gracilis reptile Upper Sermowai April 4, 1911 6
Typhlops multilineatus Ramphotyphlops multilineatus reptile Upper Sermowai April 4, 1911 6
Eleotris urophthalmoides Oxyeleotris urophthalmoides fish Lower Sermowai April 5, 1911 7
Rhombatractus crassispinosa Chilatherina crassispinosa fish Lower Sermowai April 5, 1911 7
Tribolonotus gracilis Tribolonotus gracilis reptile Upper Sermowai April 5, 1911 6
Apogon wickmanni Apogon wickmanni fish Lower Sermowai April 6, 1911 7
Lygosoma miotis Lipina noctua reptile Lower Sermowai April 6, 1911 6
Tribolonotus gracilis Tribolonotus gracilis reptile Lower Sermowai April 6, 1911 6
Lygosoma smaragdinum Lygosoma smaragdina reptile Lower Sermowai April 8, 1911 6
Ultrocalamus preussi Toxicocalamus preussi snake Lower Sermowai April 8, 1911 6
Baeturia bemmeleni Baeturia bemmeleni insect Lower Sermowai April 8, 1911 4
Ultrocalamus preussi Toxicocalamus preussi snake Lower Sermowai April 9, 1911 6
Lygosoma jobiense Sphenomorphus jobiensis reptile Upper Sermowai April 9, 1911 6
Lygosoma longiceps Lipinia longiceps reptile Upper Sermowai April 9, 1911 6
Lygosoma variegatum Sphenomorphus variegatus reptile Upper Sermowai April 9, 1911 6
Diemenia psammophis Demansia psammophis snake Upper Sermowai April 24, 1911 6
Eleotris urophthalmus Eleotris urophthalmus fish Upper Sermowai April 25, 1911 7
Rhombatractus affinis Melanotaenia affinis fish Upper Sermowai April 25, 1911 7
Rhombatractus crassispinosa Chilatherina crassispinosa fish Upper Sermowai April 25, 1911 7
Rhombatractus crassispinosa Chilatherina crassispinosa fish Buarin April 26, 1911 7
Rhombatractus fasciatus Chilatherina fasciata fish Buarin April 26, 1911 7
Rhombatractus lorentzi Chilatherina lorentzi fish Upper Sermowai April 26, 1911 7
Therapon argenteus Therapon argenteus fish Upper Sermowai April 26, 1911 3
Dipsadomorphus irregularis Boiga irregularis snake Upper Sermowai April 28, 1911 6
Melanotaenia corona Melanotaenia corona fish Upper Sermowai April 29, 1911
Varanus indicus Varanus indicus reptile Buarim April 29, 1911 6
Terapon jarbua Terapon jarbua fish Seka May 1, 1911 7
Gymnodactylus sermowaiensis Cyrtodactylus sermowaiensis reptile Upper Sermowai May 1, 1911 6
Rhombatractus lorentzi Chilatherina lorentzi fish Upper Sermowai May 5, 1911 7
Therapon argenteus Therapon argenteus fish Boearim May 9, 1911 3
Therapon argenteus Therapon argenteus fish Upper Sermowai May 9, 1911 7
Lygosoma longiceps Lipinia longiceps reptile Upper Sermowai May 12, 1911 6
Lygosoma pulchrum Lipinia pulchra reptile Upper Sermowai May 12, 1911 6
Lygosoma schultzei Sphenomorphus schultzei reptile Upper Sermowai May 12, 1911 6
Rhombatractus lorentzi Chilatherina lorentzi fish Buarin May 15, 1911 7
Mugil dussumieri Mugil dussumieri fish Sermowai Estuary May 15, 1911 7
Rhombatractus fasciatus Chilatherina fasciata fish Sermowai Estuary May 15, 1911 7
Apogon wickmanni Apogon wickmanni fish Upper Sermowai May 15, 1911 7
Ambassis interrupta Ambassis interrupta fish Sermowai Estuary May 16, 1911 7

In using this information, a couple of things must be acknowledged. The first is that this is by no means a comprehensive list of specimens gathered either by Gjellerup or the Scheffer expedition. In fact, while the list contains mention of snakes, reptiles, insects, arachnids, crustaceans, molluscs and fish, I was unable to find a listing of any botanical specimens, Gjellerup’s specific area of expertise.[xl]

Second, the list contains multiple substantial and obvious errors. For example, the first species listed as being collected, Dendrophis calligaster, is listed as being collected on March 23rd from the Upper Sermowai despite the expedition known to have not left the mouth of Sungai Sermowai until March 29th. Eleotris heterodon (Oxyeleotris heterodon) is shown as being collected on April 1st from Lake Sentani and Terapon jarbua from Sungai Seka on May 1st. However, neither location is near to or was visited by either expedition. Additionally, there are instances of collections simultaneously being made in geographically diverse locations. For instance, on May 15th, it is recorded that Rhombatractus lorentzi (Chilatherina lorentzi) was collected from Sungai Buarin and Apogon wickmanni was collected from the Upper Sermowai (both in the Upper Sermowai watershed), while Rhombatractus fasciatus (Chilatherina fasciata) and Mugil dussumieri were both collected from the Sermowai estuary at the mouth of the Lower Sermowai, or a minimum of 40 kilometres distant from the Upper Sermowai.

The nature of those errors strongly indicates that, a) the specific date and collection location cannot be relied on as a definitive fact, and b) it is highly likely that multiple individuals were gathering specimens and providing them to Gjellerup who in turn submitted them under his own name.

But even acknowledging those difficulties, the information gathered can be combined with that culled from the earlier sources to provide a timeline of the expeditions’ travels. Admittedly, it relies heavily on guesswork for speed of travel and time spent at specific locations, but does result in all locations being visited, and those known to be visited on a certain date actually visited on that date.

Sachse Expedition

Date Location Note
Beginning of Expedition
23-Mar Tarfia Arrive at Tarfia by Pelikaan from Hollandia bivouac
24-Mar Tarfia Depart Tarfia for Sungai Moaif
24-Mar Mouth of Sungai Moaif Arrive at the mouth of Sungai Moaif
25-Mar Mouth of Sungai Moaif Start Expedition up Sungai Moaif
30-Mar Sungai Moaif Arrive at trail to Benyom
30-Mar Sungai Moaif Travel overland via trail to Benyom
01-Apr Benyom Arrive at Benyom
05-Apr Benyom Depart Benyom via trail to Sermowai Falls
08-Apr Sermowai Falls Arrive at Sermowai Falls
09-Apr Sermowai Falls Depart Sermowai Falls via trail to Grigisa
11-Apr Grigisa Arrive at Grigisa
14-Apr Grigisa Depart Grigisa via trail to Loatam
14-Apr Loatam Arrive at Loatam
17-Apr Loatam Depart Loatam via trail to Aibase
17-Apr Aibase Arrive at Aibase
20-Apr Aibase Depart Aibase via trail to Sungai Biar
20-Apr Sungai Biar Arrive Sungai Biar
20-Apr Sungai Biar Travel downstream to confluence with Sungai Sokoata
23-Apr Sungai Sokoata Arrive Sungai Sokoata
26-Apr Sungai Sokoata Travel downstream to trail to Sawe
27-Apr Sungai Sokoata Depart Sungai Sokoata at trail to Sawe
27-Apr Sungai Sokoata Travel overland via trail to Sawe
29-Apr Sawe Arrive at Sawe
30-Apr Sawe Depart Sawe via trail to Sungai Toarim
30-Apr Sungai Toarim Arrive at Sungai Toarim
01-May Sungai Toarim Travel downstream to mouth of Sungai Toarim
03-May Sungai Toarim Arrive at mouth of Sungai Toarim
04-May Sungai Toarim Depart mouth of Sungai Toarim via trail to Sungai Pirowai
04-May Sungai Pirowai Arrive at mouth of Sungai Pirowai
05-May Sungai Pirowai Depart mouth of Sungai Pirowai via trail to Kaptiau
05-May Kaptiau Arrive at Kaptiau
07-May Kaptiau Depart Kaptiau for Tarawasi / Armopa
07-May Tarawasi / Armopa Arrive at Tarawasi / Armopa
09-May Tarawasi / Armopa Depart Tarawasi / Armopa for Toronta
09-May Toronta Arrive at Toronta
11-May Toronta Depart Toronta for Ansudu
11-May Ansudu Arrive at Ansudu
14-May Ansudu Depart Ansudu to travel up Sungai Biri
16-May Sungai Biri Reach point 10 km upstream of Sungai Biri
17-May Sungai Biri Depart point 10 km upstream of Sungai Biri for Ansudu
19-May Ansudu Arrive at Ansudu
End of Expedition

Scheffer (Gjellerup) Expedition

Date Location Note
Beginning of Expedition
19-Mar Demta Bay Arrive at Demta Bay by Pelikaan from Hollandia bivouac.
20-Mar Demta Bay Depart Demta Bay
25-Mar Mouth of Sungai Sermowai Arrive at mouth of Sungai Sermowai
29-Mar Mouth of Sungai Sermowai Start expedition up Sungai Sermowai
01-Apr Sungai Sermowai / Sokoata Arrive confluence of Sungai Sermowai and Sungai Sokoata
02-Apr Sungai Sermowai / Sokoata Depart confluence of Sungai Sermowai and Sungai Sokoata
06-Apr Dajak bivouac Arrive and establish Dajak bivouac
08-Apr Dajak bivouac Depart Dajak bivouac
10-Apr Sermowai Falls Arrive Sermowai Falls
11-Apr Sermowai Falls Ascend Sermowai Falls
12-Apr Upper Sungai Sermowai Arrive Upper Sungai Sermowai floodplain
15-Apr Upper Sungai Sermowai Depart Upper Sungai Sermowai floodplain via trail to Sungai Rewo
17-Apr Dutassin /Unurum Arrive Unurum / Dutassin
25-Apr Dutassin /Unurum Depart Unurum / Dutassin
25-Apr Sungai Buarim Arrive Sungai Buarim
26-Apr Sungai Buarim Sample Sungai Buarim
27-Apr Sungai Buarim Depart Sungai Buarim
03-May Sungai Sermowai Furthest extent of exploration reached
04-May Sungai Sermowai Begin return trip to Sermowai Falls
09-May Sungai Buarim Pass Sungai Buarim on return trip
11-May Sermowai Falls Arrive at Sermowai Falls
12-May Sermowai Falls Descend Sermowai Falls
19-May Mouth of Sermowai Arrive at mouth of Sermowai
End of Expedition

 

corona-expeditions-master

So, does mapping the two expeditions, no matter how presumptive some of the assumptions are, provide information on where M. corona can be found? Well, it doesn’t give a definitive location, but it does provide clues to make some educated guesses on some likely locations. Given the information I examined, I present three theories on where M. corona may be found…

The Sachse Expedition Theory

The Sachse Expedition appears to have been intended as the anthropological component of the concurrent expeditions. Even though De Saweh-Stam Der Papoea’s in Noord Nieuw-Guinea (The Saweh Tribe of Papuans in Northern New Guinea) was written by Gjellerup, only two of the villages listed as among the eighteen belonging to the Saweh or Sawe tribe, specifically Unurum and Dutassin,[xli] were visited by Gjellerup and the Scheffer Expedition. Conversely, the Sachse Expedition visited or passed through eight of the listed villages. (The other ten villages appear to have been visited by earlier and later expeditions to which neither Sachse or Gjellerup participated.) It appears that Sachse provided notes and input to Gjellerup who in turn wrote the report.

Further, while Sachse did utilize some rivers in travelling from one location to another, it appears that convenience was the driving factor, with scientific exploration and associated collecting being ancillary.

However, we do know that the Sachse Expedition did undertake some exploration and collection during their time in the field. In Verslag van de Militaire Exploratie van Neder-Landsch-Nieuw-Guinee 1907-1915, it is specifically noted that Sachse “travelled along the coast to the Biri River, which was explored and sampled by canoe for about 10 kilometers.”[xlii]

While no other specific examples are given of the Sachse Expedition undertaking sampling and collection, we do know that the expedition also included the geologist Hubrecht, one of only two true scientists assigned to any of the four exploration detachments. It is highly unlikely that his focus during the expedition would have been anthropological study as opposed to geological sampling.

Finally, the Sachse Expedition travelled in or along Sungai Moaif, Sungai Biar, Sungai Sokoata, Sungai Toarim, Sungai Pirowai, and Sungai Biri, and crossed the Sungai Grime at least twice during their visit to Benyom. In short, they spent significant time in or near waterways.

But there is not a single specimen recorded as being collected from these waterways during the timeframe of the Sachse Expedition. With the exception of Sungai Sokoata, which has been extensively studied and explored by Graf and Lange, Sungai Biri, the river where Dan Dority made his home for a number of years, and one location of Sungai Moaif – a bridge of the road from Genyem – where Graf and Lange found C. crassispinosa,[xliii] none of the rivers visited by the Sachse Expedition have been the focus in a search for rainbowfish, nor have any species ever been recorded from those rivers.

If we accept that specimens were gathered by others and then provided to Gjellerup who submitted them under his own name, then it is possible that the Sachse Expedition did collect specimens, possibly including M. corona, provided them to Gjellerup, and an error was made in recording when and where the specimen originated.

I think the possibility of this having occurred is remote as it appears Gjellerup was precise in recording where specimens originated even if he didn’t provide who originally gathered the sample. However, since several of the rivers visited by the Sachse Expedition, most notably Sungai Moaif and Sungai Toarim, have never been comprehensively sampled for rainbowfish, and excursions to those rivers might just find some.

The Sungai Rewo Theory

One of the most frustrating pieces of information relayed by Dr. Allen about M. corona is that it was found at “approximately 2°47’S, 140°00’E”. What is “approximately”? A deviation of one degree? One minute? Or just one second?

When the coordinates provided are entered into Google Maps, it returns a location a minimum of 5 kilometres from any waterway, and neither of those rivers connect with Sungai Sermowai.[xliv]

So obviously “approximate” coordinates aren’t sufficient to locate M. corona.

Now, one of the interesting things in researching an individual is the personal minutia that you stumble across. I’ve already related that Gjellerup was related to a great number of commissioned soldiers through his paternal ancestors, that his uncle went on to share a win for the 1917 Nobel Prize in Literature, and that he followed in the physician footsteps of his father. But another interesting artifact that I stumbled across was an exemplar of Gjellerup’s handwriting.[xlv]

gjellerup-writing-sample
Exemplar of Gjellerup’s handwriting

As can be seen, the serif in Gjellerup’s handwritten “1” (at least in this example) is extended, almost resembling the number “7”. Is it possible that Gjellerup’s narrative report didn’t read 2°47’S, 140°00’E, but rather 2°41’S, 140°00’E?

In examining this possibility, entering the coordinates 2°41’S, 140°00’E on Google Maps returns a location on Sungai Rewo, close to the villages Unurum and Dutassin, locations already established as being visited by Gjellerup, and area where he spent approximately one week.[xlvi] Is it beyond the possibility that Gjellerup sampled the Sungai Rewo and gathered M. corona while in that area?

Sungai Rewo is a river about 10 km in length, and it flows into Sungai Boarim, which in turn is a side channel of Sungai Sermowai, approximately 5 km in length.

 

sungai-rewo-master

However, even if we accept that Gjellerup’s handwriting was borderline indecipherable and lead to a confusion between “1” and “7”, we are still left with the discrepancy in the collection date as relayed by Dr. Allen.

As you will recall, the date listed for the collection of M. corona was “29 April 1911”. My presumptive recreation of the Scheffer Expedition places Gjellerup in the region of Unurum and Dutassin from approximately April 17th until April 25th, 1911. So, if the location is correct, then either the recorded date is wrong, or I have made an error in my recreation of the Scheffer Expedition.

I think there is a strong possibility that M. corona could be found in Sungai Rewo, but considering the discrepancy with the collection date, there is another theory that may also be valid.

The Furthest Extent Theory

“On 3rd May further exploration was halted. From a hill was observed that the river valley continued some 5 to 6 km in southeasterly direction and, although it rained, low mountain ranges could be discerned in south-southeasterly and southwesterly directions.”[xlvii]

This is one of the very few instances in which a specific geographic location can be tied to a specific date when examining the Scheffer Expedition. In examining the map of the furthest reaches of Sungai Sermowai, we can locate a position approximately five to six km from the headwaters, and from which low mountains are visible in a south-southeasterly and southwesterly direction. And this location was reached on May 3rd, 1911, only four days after the noted collection date of M. corona, so we know that Gjellerup was in that general geographic region around that time.

Additionally, it is possible to determine geographic coordinates in this region as well. At coordinates 2°47’S, 140°15’E, we find Sungai Sermowai, approximately 10 km from the headwater.[xlviii]

So if we accept that Gjellerup actually did write “7” and search along that degree of latitude, then we have 2°47’S, 140°15’E, which is 15 minutes, or 25% of a degree distant from the coordinates as relayed by Dr. Allen.

Again, is 15 minutes a small enough deviation to be considered “approximate”?

Given that M. corona is recorded as being collected on April 29th, given that Gjellerup was in the upper reaches around that time, and given that 2°47’S, 140°15’E could be considered as “approximately 2°47’S, 140°00’E” it is possible that M. corona could be found in the upper reaches of Sungai Sermowai.

The advantages of technology and the information contained within and accessible via the internet permits an overview of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army, the Military Exploration Detachments, the North New Guinea detachment, the Sachse and Scheffer Expeditions and many of the scientific discoveries that resulted. This overview, and understanding the connections between the information contained therein, has provided clues that may lead to the rediscovery of M. corona.

Both my Sungai Rewo Theory and the Furthest Extent Theory are possible, but there is no way to definitively say if either is without undertaking an expedition to physically look. And, as I don’t have the resources to undertake an expedition myself, I’ve chosen to share this information in the hopes that it may prove beneficial to someone who does have those resources. The only thing I ask? If someone does find Melanotaenia corona as a result of this information, please make sure I get a couple of fish for myself…

Endnotes

[i]         McCaffrey, A. (1968). Dragonflight: Volume One of the Dragonriders of Pern. New York, USA: Ballantine Books. p. xi.

[ii]        Allen, G.R. (1995). Rainbowfishes: In Nature and in the Aquarium. Melle, Germany: Tetra-Verlag. p. 110.

[iii]       ibid.

[iv]       ibid.

[v]        Tappin, A. (2013, February 20). Melanotaenia corona. ANGFA Forums. Retrieved October 30th, 2016, from http://forums.angfa.org.au/viewtopic.php?t=1620&highlight=corona.

[vi]       Bleher, H. (2009, June 10). Glossolepis wanamensis (Ekk Will Wanamensis). Rainbowfish Forums. Retrieved October 30th, 2016 from http://rainbow-fish.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2981&sid=1ca26427ec0087fcbcb22e2a05e1d6c3.

[vii]       G. Lange, personal communication, February 18th, 2013.

[viii]      J. Graf, personal communication, February 18th, 2013.

[ix]       Lange, G. (2010, December 25). Guess What It Is? ANGFA Forums. Retrieved October 30th, 2016, from http://forums.angfa.org.au/viewtopic.php?t=1060&highlight=corona.

[x]        Viser grave på Svaneke Kirkegård – dki-01.dk. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.dki-01.dk/svaneke/svaneke_svar_soeg.php.

[xi]       Recke. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recke.

[xii]       Karl Gjellerup. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Gjellerup.

[xiii]      GjellerupK. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/FMCollectors/G/GjellerupK.htm.

[xiv]      Marshall, A., & Beehler, B. (2007). The Ecology of Indonesian Papua Part One. Hong Kong: Periplus Editions (HK) ltd.

[xv]       Now known as Jayapura.

[xvi]      Beknopt verslag met foto’s met betrekking tot de verrichtingen van het militaire exploratiedetachement Noord-Nieuw-Guinea 1909-1910. Retreived October 30th 2016, from http://www.papuaerfgoed.org/nl/DO/332/2.

[xvii]     GjellerupK. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/FMCollectors/G/GjellerupK.htm.

[xviii]     For the sake of completeness, subsequent to the Sermowai Expedition, Gjellerup participated in the Lake Sentani and Cyclop Mountains Expedition, explored the coastal region between the Biri River and the mouth of the Mamberamo River, took part in the Tor River expedition, explored the Berkombor and Tenem Rivers, was part of the transfer of the Northern New Guinea Military Exploration Detachment from Hollandia to Manokwari and explored the Warmasin Lakes in the Arfak Mountains.

[xix]      The waterfall mentioned is the dividing point between the Lower and Upper Sungai Sermowai. It has played a key role in where people have searched for M. corona, but a proper name has never been given to this striking geological and hydrological feature. For sake of convenience, except where described otherwise, I have elected to refer to it as “Sermowai Falls”.

[xx]       Verslag van de Militaire Exploratie van Neder-Landsch-Nieuw-Guinee 1907-1915. Retrieved October 30th, 2016 from http://www.papuaerfgoed.org/files/7.%20VERSLAG%20MILITAIRE%20EXPLORATIE%201907-1915.pdf.

[xxi]      ibid.

[xxii]     In naming all rivers and streams, unless citing the work of others where they used “river” I have elected to use the common label of “sungai”.

[xxiii]     Also recorded as Sungai Sermo and Sungai Sermor.

[xxiv]     Also recorded as Sungai Sokota.

[xxv]     Also recorded as Sungai Pewo.

[xxvi]     Also recorded as Oenoeroem. The use of “oe” instead of “u” is a particularity of the Dutch language.

[xxvii]    Also recorded as Dutasin and Doetassin. The use of “oe” instead of “u” is a particularity of the Dutch language.

[xxviii]   Also recorded as Boearim, Boearin, Buarim, and Buarin. The use of “oe” instead of “u” is a particularity of the Dutch language.

[xxix]     Also recorded as Benjom, Benjoin, and Penjom.

[xxx]     Also recorded as Grigriza.

[xxxi]     Also recorded as Little Loatam and Kecil Loatam.

[xxxii]    Also recorded as Abaisé.

[xxxiii]   Also recorded as Saweh.

[xxxiv]   Also recorded as Tuorim.

[xxxv]    Also recorded as Sungai Borowai, Sungai Poro and Sungai Porowai.

[xxxvi]   Also recorded as Kaptiaoe. The use of “oe” instead of “u” is a particularity of the Dutch language.

[xxxvii]   Also recorded as Tarwasi.

[xxxviii] Also recorded as Taronta and Tronta.

[xxxix]   Also recorded as Ansoedoe and Andusu. The use of “oe” instead of “u” is a particularity of the Dutch language.

[xl]       Gjellerup, K. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/FMCollectors/G/GjellerupK.htm.

[xli]       Gjellerup, K. (1912). De Saweh-stam der Papoea’s in noord Nieuw-Guinea. P.172. Retrieved October 30th, 2016, from http://www.papuaerfgoed.org/nl/DO/332/1.

[xlii]      Verslag van de Militaire Exploratie van Neder-Landsch-Nieuw-Guinee 1907-1915. Retrieved October 30th, 2016 from http://www.papuaerfgoed.org/files/7.%20VERSLAG%20MILITAIRE%20EXPLORATIE%201907-1915.pdf.

[xliii]     J. Graf, personal communication, September 21st, 2016.

[xliv]     2°47’S, 140°00’E, https://www.google.ca/maps/place/2%C2%B047’00.0%22S+140%C2%B000’00.0%22E/@-2.786232,139.9818314,13.57z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-2.7833333!4d140.

[xlv]      GjellerupK. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/FMCollectors/G/GjellerupK.htm.

[xlvi]     2°41’S, 140°00’E, https://www.google.ca/maps/place/2%C2%B041’00.0%22S+140%C2%B000’00.0%22E/@-2.6849658,139.9992502,15.65z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-2.6833333!4d140.

[xlvii]     Staal, J. 1914 “De exploratie van Nieuw-Guinea.” Tijdschrift van het Koninklijk Nederlandsch Aardrijkskundig Genootschap.

[xlviii]    2°47’S, 140°15’E, https://www.google.ca/maps/place/2%C2%B047’00.0%22S+140%C2%B015’00.0%22E/@-2.7810376,140.2466699,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-2.7833333!4d140.25.