Maccullochella
Encyclopedia
Maccullochella is a genus
of large Australia
n predatory freshwater fish within the Percichthyidae family. The Maccullochella genus was named after an early Australian fish researcher with the surname McCulloch.
The Maccullochella species are called 'cod' in the vernacular.
At the time of European settlement of Australia, members of the Maccullochella genus dominated the Murray-Darling river system (Murray cod
, M. peelii, and trout cod
, M. macquariensis) and 4 East Coast river systems (eastern freshwater cod
, M. ikei, of the Clarence and Richmond Rivers, Brisbane River cod
, Maccullochella sp., and Mary River cod
, M. mariensis).
As large, long-lived, top-order predators with delayed sexual maturity and relatively low fecundity (fertility) Maccullochella species are extremely vulnerable to overfishing, siltation and other forms of habitat degradation, and river regulation by dams and weirs that alter river environments and negatively affect spawning and recruitment (survival) of young fish.
The Maccullochella species have not fared well since European settlement. All are endangered or critically endangered except for Murray cod
, which are considered 'Threatened' and 'Vulnerable' under national and state legislation. There are grave concerns over the future of wild Murray cod
now, as there for all the Maccullochella species.
:
As of 2010 Mary River Cod are recognised as a fully separate species (Maccullochella mariensis) (Nock et al., 2010).
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of large Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n predatory freshwater fish within the Percichthyidae family. The Maccullochella genus was named after an early Australian fish researcher with the surname McCulloch.
The Maccullochella species are called 'cod' in the vernacular.
At the time of European settlement of Australia, members of the Maccullochella genus dominated the Murray-Darling river system (Murray cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
, M. peelii, and trout cod
Trout Cod
The trout cod or bluenose cod, Maccullochella macquariensis, is a large predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family which was originally found in the south-east corner of the Murray-Darling river system in Australia...
, M. macquariensis) and 4 East Coast river systems (eastern freshwater cod
Eastern freshwater cod
Eastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei, also known as eastern cod, are a large and striking predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family, that occur in the coastal Clarence River system of north-eastern New South Wales...
, M. ikei, of the Clarence and Richmond Rivers, Brisbane River cod
Brisbane River cod
The Brisbane River cod was a unique form of Maccullochella cod that occurred naturally in the Brisbane River system, an east coast river system in south east Queensland, Australia...
, Maccullochella sp., and Mary River cod
Mary River cod
Mary River cod are a Maccullochella cod found in the coastal Mary River system of southern Queensland, Australia...
, M. mariensis).
As large, long-lived, top-order predators with delayed sexual maturity and relatively low fecundity (fertility) Maccullochella species are extremely vulnerable to overfishing, siltation and other forms of habitat degradation, and river regulation by dams and weirs that alter river environments and negatively affect spawning and recruitment (survival) of young fish.
The Maccullochella species have not fared well since European settlement. All are endangered or critically endangered except for Murray cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
, which are considered 'Threatened' and 'Vulnerable' under national and state legislation. There are grave concerns over the future of wild Murray cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
now, as there for all the Maccullochella species.
Species
Four species are recognised by ITISIntegrated Taxonomic Information System
The Integrated Taxonomic Information System is a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ITIS was originally formed in 1996 as an interagency group within the U.S...
:
- Maccullochella ikei — Richmond River CodRichmond River codThe Richmond River cod was a form of Maccullochella cod, now believed to have been eastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei, that occurred naturally in the Richmond River system, an east coast river system in north-east New South Wales, Australia....
, Eastern Freshwater CodEastern freshwater codEastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei, also known as eastern cod, are a large and striking predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family, that occur in the coastal Clarence River system of north-eastern New South Wales... - Maccullochella macquariensis — Trout CodTrout CodThe trout cod or bluenose cod, Maccullochella macquariensis, is a large predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family which was originally found in the south-east corner of the Murray-Darling river system in Australia...
- Maccullochella peelii — Murray CodMurray CodThe Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
- Maccullochella mariensis — Mary River CodMary River codMary River cod are a Maccullochella cod found in the coastal Mary River system of southern Queensland, Australia...
As of 2010 Mary River Cod are recognised as a fully separate species (Maccullochella mariensis) (Nock et al., 2010).