Flinders Ranges mogurnda

Flinders Ranges mogurnda
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Eleotridae
Genus:	Mogurnda
Species:	M. clivicola
Binomial name
Mogurnda clivicola Allen & Jenkins, 1999

The Flinders Ranges mogurnda or Flinders Ranges purple spotted gudgeon, Mogurnda clivicola, also known as the Barcoo, or Bulloo mogurnda,^[1] is a Central Australian gudgeon of the Eleotridae family.

Distribution

Flinders Ranges gudgeons are found in permanent water in an isolated set of spring-fed creeks in the southern Gammon Ranges National Park in the arid South Australian outback.^[2] These creeks are often in very steep-sided, rocky gorges.^[1][2] This fish's habitat is usually isolated into separate pools and then subject to floods that change the water level by several metres.^{[citation needed]}

These fish have also been recorded in samples taken from the Barcoo and Bulloo Rivers hundreds of kilometres away from the main population, in the very different habitat of larger, muddy-bottomed rivers.^[1][2]

Description

Flinders Ranges mogurndas are medium sized fish, with a maximum total length of approximately 13 cm.^[2][3][I] They are dark with a fine mottling of dark grey blotches on the upper side with semi-translucent fins. Usually their body is a paler colour underneath. These fish have a series of burnt orange coloured stripes running backwards down their cheeks looking like warpaint. Roughly around the lateral line there is a display of burnt orange coloured spots interspersed with paler spots, with a single darker spot on the caudal peduncle. Males develop spectacular spawning colours in summer, namely a more brilliant display of orange spots along the side and to the tail. The anal and spiny and soft dorsal fins are edged with a tiny iridescent blue-white stripe. These iridescent blue-white stripes are somewhat subtle on most of the fins but are prominent and eye-catching on the spiny dorsal fin. The males also develop a large amount of fat on the top of their heads, giving them a bulbous appearance.^{[citation needed]}

These fish have, in recent times been victims of a dramatic, piebald discolouration of unknown origin.^{[citation needed]}

Ecology and behaviour

In the Flinders Ranges, M. clivicola is the only species of fish found in the rocky pools which they inhabit.^[1] They will bask lying on the shallow shelves of deeper rock pools, with their tails to one side.^{[citation needed]} From above, in this position, they closely resemble the fallen gum leaves on the substrate. In the Barcoo River, the species usually co-exists with up to 10 other fish species in the typically mud bottomed lowland streams of that system.^[1] Their predators would consist mostly of larger birds.^{[citation needed]} They are presumed to be ambush predators.^[1] Tadpoles, insects and other macroinvertebrates would probably form a large part of their diet.^{[citation needed]} Breeding and spawning is a complex ritual spread over days.^[1] These fish spawn when the water temperature reaches 20 degrees or higher.^[1][2] The males care for the eggs and will guard and fan the eggs with their pectoral fins.^[1] The males' behaviour becomes quite territorial and aggressive during breeding season. They have been known to chase the other fish around.^{[citation needed]}

Footnotes

^[I] The available authorities disagree on the maximum size of this fish, Fishbase as well as Allen, Migley & Allen (2002) state 13 cm, whereas the Desert Fishes Council Australia states 15 cm.

Citations

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Desert Fishes Council Australia
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Allen, Midgley & Allen (2002)
3. ^ Fishbase

References

• Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Mogurnda clivicola" in FishBase. November 2006 version.
• "Mogurnda clivicola Allen & Jenkins 1999 Flinders Ranges, Barcoo, or Bulloo mogurnda". Desert Fishes Council Australia. http://www.desertfishes.org/australia/fish/mogucliv.shtml. Retrieved 17 September 2009. 
• Allen, G.R.; Midgley, S.H.; Allen, M. (2002). Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth: Western Australian Museum. p. 306. ISBN 0 7307 5486 3. 

See also

• Allen, Gerald R. (1989). Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Neptune City, N.J.: T.F.H. Publications. pp. 194–196. ISBN 0-86622-936-1.  - General information about Mogurnda species, excluding M. clivicola (not described until 1999).
• "Mogurnda clivicola — Flinders Ranges Gudgeon". Species Profile and Threats Database. Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=66693. Retrieved 18 September 2009.