Estuary perch
Estuary perch | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Perciformes |
Family: | Percichthyidae |
Genus: | Macquaria |
Species: | M. colonorum
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Binomial name | |
Macquaria colonorum (Günther, 1863)
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Synonyms[2] | |
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The estuary perch (Macquaria colonorum) is a
Appearance
It is very similar to and very closely related to its sister species, the Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata, differing in having a slightly more "scooped" forehead and reaching a larger length of 75 cm (30 in). Most individuals only reach around 40 cm (16 in). The greatest recorded weight for a specimen of this species is 10 kg (22 lb), there is very little evidence for this, most people assume it was a typo i.e. it was 10 lb and not 10 kg.
Reproduction
Estuary perch breed in winter at the same time as Australian bass, and are similarly
Spawning occurs at the mouths of estuaries, rivers, and streams during winter and spring when water temperatures are 14-19 °C.[3] In New South Wales, this occurs from July to August, while in the western regions of Victorian waters this happens from November to December.[4]
Eggs are semibuoyant, nonadhesive, and 1.3–2.4 mm (0.051–0.094 in) in diameter. They hatch into larvae after 2–3 days.[3]
Age
Estuary perch, as also many other native fish of southeast Australia, are very long-lived. Longevity is a survival strategy to ensure that most adults participate in at least one exceptional spawning and recruitment event, which are often linked to unusually wet
Fishing
The estuary perch is a popular
References
- . Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Macquaria colonorum" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
- ^ a b c d e Bray, Dianne; Thompson, Vanessa. "Estuary Perch, Macquaria colonorum". Fishes of Australia. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
- ^ Native Fish Australia: Estuary Perch www.nativefish.asn.au
- "Macquaria colonorum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 11 March 2006.