Western Carp Gudgeon
Encyclopedia
The western carp gudgeon, Hypseleotris klunzingeri, is a carp gudgeon of the Eleotridae
family. Carp gudgeons are small perciform fish (similar in size, shape and colour) found in the Australia
n Murray
-Darling
river system, mainly in lowland environments, but some have been observed in upland environments. They are often found in small creeks, as well as billabongs and the edges of larger rivers. They prefer water 1 to 2 m deep with aquatic weed and structure provided by rocks or sunken timber (usually the latter).
Like many other Murray-Darling native fish species, western carp gudgeon have crossed the Great Dividing Range
through natural river capture
events and are found in a number of East Coast drainages, from the Hunter River system in northern New South Wales
to the Fitzroy River system in central Queensland
.
colours in summer, namely a more metallic-bronze body colour with a red stripe through the caudal (tail), anal and spiny and soft dorsal fins. The red stripe through the anal and spiny and soft dorsal fins are topped with a tiny iridescent blue-white stripe. These red and iridescent blue-white stripes are somewhat subtle on most of the fins but are prominent and eye-catching on the spiny dorsal fin.
Western carp gudgeons spawn in summer, attaching eggs to aquatic weed in the shallows. There is some suggestion that they have suffered from small variations in river level caused by river regulation, which expose and destroy eggs laid in shallows. There is also some suggestion that they are/were a critical food item for juvenile Murray cod
. It is likely they are an important forage fish
for larger fish species in many waterways. Western carp gudgeons have taken to lower altitude man-made lakes and impoundments in the Murray-Darling system well, and are very common in some.
, live or frozen, and very small invertebrate
s. Curiously, they are unavailable in aquarium stores and remain the province of keen naturalists who capture their own (readily done with a sweep net around weedbeds in summer).
composed of at least four species and many hybrids; their taxonomy
is extremely complicated, unresolved and not accurately reflected by current scientific and common names.
Many researchers have now resorted to referring to them as simply "carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris spp.)" until their taxonomy is resolved.
Eleotridae
Sleeper gobies are members of the Eleotridae fish family, found predominantly in the tropical Indo-Pacific. There are approximately 35 genera and 150 species. While many eleotrids pass through a planktonic stage in the sea and some spend their entire lives in the sea, as adults the majority live in...
family. Carp gudgeons are small perciform fish (similar in size, shape and colour) found in the 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 Murray
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
-Darling
Darling River
The Darling River is the third longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth, New South Wales. Including its longest contiguous tributaries it is long, making it the longest river system in Australia.The...
river system, mainly in lowland environments, but some have been observed in upland environments. They are often found in small creeks, as well as billabongs and the edges of larger rivers. They prefer water 1 to 2 m deep with aquatic weed and structure provided by rocks or sunken timber (usually the latter).
Like many other Murray-Darling native fish species, western carp gudgeon have crossed the Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
through natural river capture
River capture
Stream capture, river capture, or stream piracy is a geomorphological phenomenon occurring when a stream or river drainage system or watershed is diverted from its own bed, and flows instead down the bed of a neighbouring stream...
events and are found in a number of East Coast drainages, from the Hunter River system in northern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to the Fitzroy River system in central Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
Description
Western carp gudgeon are small fish, with a maximum size of approximately 6 cm. Usually their body is a yellowy-gold colour overlaid with subtle dark grey blotches, with semi-translucent fins. Males develop spectacular spawningSpawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
colours in summer, namely a more metallic-bronze body colour with a red stripe through the caudal (tail), anal and spiny and soft dorsal fins. The red stripe through the anal and spiny and soft dorsal fins are topped with a tiny iridescent blue-white stripe. These red and iridescent blue-white stripes are somewhat subtle on most of the fins but are prominent and eye-catching on the spiny dorsal fin.
Western carp gudgeons spawn in summer, attaching eggs to aquatic weed in the shallows. There is some suggestion that they have suffered from small variations in river level caused by river regulation, which expose and destroy eggs laid in shallows. There is also some suggestion that they are/were a critical food item for juvenile 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...
. It is likely they are an important forage fish
Forage fish
Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small fish which are preyed on by larger predators for food. Predators include other larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the base of the food chain on plankton, often by filter feeding...
for larger fish species in many waterways. Western carp gudgeons have taken to lower altitude man-made lakes and impoundments in the Murray-Darling system well, and are very common in some.
In aquaria
Western carp gudgeon make superb aquarium fish: they are lively, interactive, attractively coloured and hardy. They eagerly take brine shrimpBrine shrimp
Artemia is a genus of aquatic crustaceans known as brine shrimp. Artemia, the only genus in the family Artemiidae, has changed little externally since the Triassic period...
, live or frozen, and very small invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s. Curiously, they are unavailable in aquarium stores and remain the province of keen naturalists who capture their own (readily done with a sweep net around weedbeds in summer).
Classification
Western carp gudgeon are purportedly the most common of the carp gudgeons (lake's carp gudgeon and midgley's carp gudgeon are the other proposed species). However, recent genetic research suggests that the carp gudgeons are a cryptic species complexCryptic species complex
In biology, a cryptic species complex is a group of species which satisfy the biological definition of species—that is, they are reproductively isolated from each other—but whose morphology is very similar ....
composed of at least four species and many hybrids; their taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
is extremely complicated, unresolved and not accurately reflected by current scientific and common names.
Many researchers have now resorted to referring to them as simply "carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris spp.)" until their taxonomy is resolved.