Ambassis macleayi

Last updated

Ambassis macleayi
Glassfish Ambassis.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Family: Ambassidae
Genus: Ambassis
Species:
A. macleayi
Binomial name
Ambassis macleayi
(Castelnau, 1878)
Distribution map for Ambassis macleayi.jpg
Approximate distribution of A. macleayi within Australia and New Guinea [2]
Synonyms [1]
  • Chanda macleayiCastelnau, 1878,
  • Pseudambassis macleayiCastelnau, 1878

Ambassis macleayi, commonly known as Macleay's glassfish, [2] [3] Macleay's glass perchlet, [4] Macleay's perchlet, [3] reticulated glassfish, [3] reticulated perchlet, [2] or network perchlet, [3] is a species of freshwater fish in the family Ambassidae. It is native to northern Australia and the trans-Fly River region of New Guinea. It is a fish with a vertically flat, narrow body and a standard length generally between 35 and 45 mm (1.4 and 1.8 in), with large specimens reaching 77 mm (3.0 in) long. It generally eats water fleas and other small invertebrates. This fish is considered to be a least-concern species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), although it could suffer from habitat degradation due to feral pigs and invasive water plants such as the water hyacinth. The fish is suitable for aquarium use in tanks containing other non-aggressive species.

Contents

Taxonomy

French naturalist Francis de Castelnau described this species as Pseudoambassis macleayi in 1878, from specimens collected from the Norman River near the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia. [5] The species was named in honour of William Macleay for his important contributions to fish taxonomy. [3] Castelnau placed it in a new genus, separate to Ambassis , due to its lack of a recumbent spine (spine laying against the dorsal surface) in front of its dorsal fin. [5] : 43  Allan Riverstone McCulloch placed it in the genus Ambassis in 1929. [6] Gilbert Percy Whitley made it the type species of the genus Austrochanda, calling it Austrochanda macleayi, in 1935. [7] The species was subsequently returned to Ambassis in 1989 by J. R. Paxton, D. F. Hoese, G. R. Allen, and J. E. Hanley in the Zoological Catalogue of Australia. [4] [8] [9] Common names include Macleay's glassfish, Macleay's glass perchlet, Macleay's perchlet and reticulated glassfish. [1] [4]

Description

Ambassis macleayi.jpg

Macleay's glassfish is a moderately large ambassid that may grow to a standard length (SL) of 77 mm (3.0 in), but is usually between 35 and 45 mm (1.4 and 1.8 in). [10] Males tend to be larger than females. [11] The body is deep, at close to half the SL, with a large head and a maxilla (upper jaw) that extends beyond the front edge of the large eye. [10] The first dorsal fin is tall at up to 40% SL, with the second spine longer than the first; within the anal fin, the third spine is longer than the second. [10] Colour varies from a partly transparent olive-green to a dark brown/green or a golden/yellow, with the lower surfaces generally paler. [10] Scales have a darker edge giving a reticulated pattern, especially on the upper half. [10] The caudal (tail), anal and dorsal fins are dusky with off-white to translucent spines and white to yellow rays; the caudal and anal fins may have a thin reddish or dark margin; pelvic fins are white and the pectoral fins are transparent often with a dark mark at the base of the fin. [10] A. macleayi may be differentiated from other fish of the genus Ambassis by the relatively deep body, high gill raker count, interrupted lateral line and the dark spot at the base of the pectoral fins. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Ambassis macleayi occurs from the Carson River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia across the north of Australia to the Jardine River in Cape York, although the distribution in north-east Queensland is patchy. [10] In New Guinea, the fish is found in the trans-Fly region, [1] a lowland area of savanna and grasslands in the south of the island. [12]

Preferred habitat consists of streams and swamps, tending towards muddy lagoons at the end of the dry season to much further afield by the end of the wet season including lowland lagoons and the main channel of rivers and streams in the escarpments surrounding the Gulf of Carpentaria. [10] It is typically found in heavily vegetated habitats with macrophytes, woody debris and leaf-litter and rarely at a depth of more than 1 m (3 ft). [10] The fish is found in less vegetated water than other species of this genus and shows a preference for submerged rather than emergent vegetation. [11] It has been found over all substrates, most commonly sand and mud then clay, gravel, leaves, rocks and boulders. [11]

Despite high levels of connectivity during the wet season, very little dispersion of A. macleayi occurs between adjacent catchments. This has been backed up by studies showing a high degree of genetic diversity between catchments. As a result, this species is unable to rapidly recolonise areas after a disturbance and it has been recommended that any conservation of the species should be on a catchment-by-catchment basis rather than across its entire range. [13]

Breeding and lifecycle

Ambassis macleayi is a moderately fecund fish with large females producing up to around 2,300 small (0.3 mm) eggs which expand on contact with water. [10] A. macleayi is an obligate plant spawner, [14] : 178  with the eggs adhering to aquatic vegetation as they descend through the water column. The fish spawn in batches of several hundred eggs over a period of a week. [10] The eggs hatch in 21–23 hours at 25–28 °C (77–82 °F). [10] The newly hatched larvae are poorly developed but mature quickly, are around 1.5–1.6 millimetres (0.059–0.063 in) on hatching and 2.25–2.5 millimetres (0.089–0.098 in) at first feeding after only three days, and having absorbed the yolk sac after just two days. [10] The young fry attain a length of around 10 millimetres (0.39 in) upon completion of metamorphosis at 18 days. [10] Reports vary as to the age at maturity, with some claiming 3 months and others 12 months. [10] Spawning occurs all year round with a slight increase at the beginning of the wet season. [10]

Ecology

A. macleayi are classified as micro-crustacivores (eaters of micro crustaceans). [14] : 154  The diet generally contains about 70% tiny cladoceran crustaceans known as water fleas, with about 20% of the diet being aquatic insects, especially chironomid larvae. This ratio is reportedly quite different in the Normanby River, where cladocerans make up only 10% of the diet compared to around 70% chironomids. The species demonstrates a flexible foraging strategy with stomach contents including aerial and terrestrial invertebrates, small fish, other microinvertebrates, terrestrial plant matter and algae as well up to 15% unidentifiable material. [10] Studies have shown that like other species of a similar size, A. macleayi will only patrol areas of open water with low predator count of such species as barramundi and Neoarius midgleyi . It is otherwise confined to areas of heavy cover and is often found in turbid water. [10]

Relationship with humans

The species may be kept as an aquarium fish with a temperature range of 22–34 °C (72–93 °F), pH from 6.0 to 9.7, and hardness around 100 ppm. [4] [2] In Queensland there is a possession limit of 20 individuals for this species. [15] A. macleayi is non-aggressive and suitable for larger community tanks and coexists well with other fish that are not small enough to be considered prey. [16] A naturally schooling fish, it is reportedly best kept in a group of six or more. [17] Occasional live feed, such as brine shrimp or daphnia, is recommended by the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association. [16]

The Queensland Government recommends Macleay's glassfish for mosquito control in dams within the Gulf of Carpentaria drainage division. [18] In 1991 a study noted that A. macleayi was one of three species of freshwater fish most suitable for Uranium toxicity testing in freshwater environments in northern Australia. [19]

Conservation status

This fish is classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on their Redlist. [1] A wide tolerance of poor water conditions and wide distribution, although patchy in parts, make the populations of A. macleayi resilient. There is, however, the potential for harm from extreme reduction in water quality from such threats as feral pig foraging (increasing the turbidity of waterways thus reducing the light available for aquatic plant growth) and infestation by exotic plants such as water hyacinth. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Parambassis</i> Genus of fishes

Parambassis is a genus of freshwater fish in the Asiatic glassfish family Ambassidae of order Perciformes. The type species is the Iridescent glassy perchlet. These fishes originate mostly from Southeast Asia, but the species range across the Indomalayan and Australasian realms, from Pakistan, China and India south through Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia. Although primiarly found in fresh water, a few species can also be seen in brackish water. The Parambassis species range in maximum size from 4–24 cm (1.5–9.5 in), but they are similar in appearance, with a lozenge-shaped form, typical perciform fins, and semitransparent or transparent body. Several of the species are common food fish in local markets, and some are kept as aquarium fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rainbowfish</span> Family of fishes

Rainbowfishes are small, colourful freshwater fishes belonging to the family Melanotaeniidae, found in northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea, Sulawesi and Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agassiz's perchlet</span> Species of fish

Agassiz's perchlet, also known as Agassiz's glass fish and the olive perchlet, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Ambassidae. It is semi-transparent with dark scale edges forming a pattern over most of the body. It grows to a maximum of 7.5 cm. It is a macrophyte spawner with adhesive eggs. It is endemic to Australia. It was named for the zoologist Louis Agassiz.

<i>Ambassis</i> Genus of fishes

Ambassis is a genus of fish in the family Ambassidae, the Asiatic glassfishes. They are found widely in the Indo-Pacific region, with species in fresh, brackish and coastal marine waters.

The yellow-fin perchlet is a species of fish in the family Ambassidae. It is endemic to Australia where it has only been recorded from the three rivers which drain into the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Queensland. They are found in freshwater creeks and rivers with marginal vegetation, frequently recorded from freshwater streams that have quite high turbidity levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluespotted trevally</span> Species of fish

The bluespotted trevally, also known as the wide-mouthed trevally, is a species of moderately large marine fish in the jack family Carangidae. The bluespotted trevally is distributed through the tropical east Indian and west Pacific Oceans, ranging from Taiwan in the north to Australia in the south. It is an inshore species, found in sandy, muddy and seagrass environments, often in large bays. The bluespotted trevally is distinguished by dark blue spots on its upper body, as well as a number of more detailed anatomical features. It is a benthopelagic predator, taking a variety of crustaceans including crabs and prawns as a juvenile, before shifting to a more fish-dominated diet as an adult. It is one of the most common predators in the Gulf of Carpentaria of northern Australia, and is considered the most important predator of commercially important prawn species. Sexual maturity is reached at 110 mm in length and one year of age, with spawning occurring year round with a peak in spring. Growth is estimated to be 82.2 mm per year for both sexes, reaching a maximum known length of 66 cm. Bluespotted trevally are commonly taken as bycatch in prawn fisheries, however are of little commercial value and often discarded. They are occasionally taken by anglers on lures and baits, but are considered mediocre table fare.

<i>Neoarius berneyi</i> Species of fish

Neoarius berneyi, the highfin catfish, Berney's catfish, Berney's shark catfish, or the lesser salmon catfish, is a freshwater sea catfish that is commonly kept in aquariums. The origin of the name Neoarius berneyi is Greek, with the genus name Neoarius coming from the words neos meaning new and arios, meaning warlike or hostile, in reference to the well developed fin spines, and the species name, berneyi, comes from the ornithologist F. L. Berney.

<i>Toxotes chatareus</i> Species of perciform fish in the archerfish genus Toxotes

Toxotes chatareus, sometimes known by the common names common archerfish, seven-spot archerfish or largescale archerfish, is a species of perciform fish in the archerfish genus Toxotes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sooty grunter</span> Species of fish

The sooty grunter, also known by the name black bream, blubberlips, Northern grunter or purple grunter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It inhabits coastal and inland freshwater creeks and rivers of northern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fringefin trevally</span> Species of fish

The fringefin trevally, also called fringe-finned trevally, round-finned trevally or reef herring, is a species of inshore marine fish classified in the jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae. A relatively small fish, the fringefin trevally is known to reach 40 cm (16 in), but is mostly encountered at lengths less than 25 cm (9.8 in). The fringefin trevally has an ovate body, with distinctive orange-yellow fins and a black opercular spot. The dental patterns of the species distinguish it from the closely related scads of the genus Alepes. Males have characteristic elongated dorsal and anal fins which produce a series of trailing filaments. The fringefin trevally is restricted to the waters of the Indo-Pacific, ranging from northern Australia to Papua New Guinea and eastern Indonesia. An inshore species, it is found in coastal and estuarine environments and exhibits daily and seasonal movements. The fringefin trevally is predatory, taking crustaceans as prey. The species is often taken as bycatch in prawn trawls and occasionally taken by anglers.

<i>Hephaestus carbo</i> Species of fish

Hephaestus carbo, the coal grunter or black grunter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It is endemic to rivers in northern Australia.

<i>Parambassis pulcinella</i> Species of fish

Parambassis pulcinella, the humphead glassfish or humphead perchlet, is a species of Asiatic glassfish native to fast-flowing streams in the Ataran basin in southeast Myanmar and west Thailand. It reaches a length of 10 cm (3.9 in) and is sometimes seen in the aquarium trade. It is a relative of the perch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific blue-eye</span> Species of fish

The Pacific blue-eye is a species of fish in the subfamily Pseudomugilinae native to eastern Australia. Described by Austrian naturalist Rudolf Kner in 1866, it comprises two subspecies that have been regarded as separate species in the past and may be once again with further study. It is a common fish of rivers and estuaries along the eastern seaboard from Cape York in North Queensland to southern New South Wales, the Burdekin Gap in central-north Queensland dividing the ranges of the two subspecies.

Ambassis marianus, commonly known as the estuary perchlet, Ramsay's glassfish, estuary glassfish or glass perchlet, is a species of fish in the family Ambassidae. It is native to coastal eastern Australia. It gains its common name from its transparent appearance.

<i>Ambassis miops</i> Species of fish

Ambassis miops, commonly known as the flag-tailed glassfish, is a species of fish in the family Ambassidae. It is native to eastern Australia. It is found only in a few coastal sites along the North Queensland coast. A distinguishing feature of this species is a tiny spine is situated above the rear corner of the eye.

<i>Ambassis nalua</i> Species of fish

Ambassis nalua, the scalloped glassfish or scalloped perchlet, is a species of fish in the genus Ambassis. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region, form India to Australia and New Guinea, where it occurs in bays, estuaries and mangrove-lined creeks.

<i>Ambassis jacksoniensis</i> Species of fish

Ambassis jacksoniensis, commonly known as the Port Jackson glassfish or Port Jackson perchlet, is a species of fish in the family Ambassidae native to eastern Australia. It gains its common name from its transparent appearance.

Neosilurus hyrtlii, commonly known as Hyrtl's catfish or Glencoe tandan, is a species of catfish found across northern Australia, from the Pilbara to southeastern Queensland.

<i>Neoarius graeffei</i> Species of fish

Neoarius graeffei, or blue salmon catfish, is a species of catfish found in freshwater rivers of Australia and Papua New Guinea. This species is most identifiable by its large, shark-like dorsal fin that is led by a poisonous spine. Like other catfish, the blue salmon catfish is known to use electrical pulses to sense prey in the water. This prey sensing mechanism may be the reason that these catfish are known to eat the land dwelling hopping mouse at a high rate.

Oxyeleotris nullipora, the poreless gudgeon, is a gudgeon of the genus Oxyeleotris, a freshwater fish found in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Brooks, S.; Kennard, M. (2019). "Ambassis macleayi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T169355A123379555. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T169355A123379555.en . Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 ANGFA (26 March 2016). "Ambassis macleayi". ANGFA Aquatic Survey Database. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Macleay's Glassfish, Ambassis macleayi (Castelnau 1878)". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Froese, R.; Pauly, D., eds. (2018). "Ambassis macleayi (Castelnau, 1878) Macleay's glass perchlet". Fishbase. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  5. 1 2 Castelnau, Francis de Laporte de (1878). "Notes on the fishes of the Norman River". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales . 3 (1): 41–51 [43]. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.22212.
  6. ↑ McCulloch, A.R. (1929). "A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part II" (PDF). Australian Museum Memoir. 5 (1): 145–329 [196]. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1967.5.1929.474.
  7. ↑ Whitley, G.P. (1935). "Fishes from Princess Charlotte Bay, North Queensland". Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide). 5 (3): 345–365.
  8. ↑ Yearsley, G. K; Last, Peter R.; Morris, G. B (1997). Codes for Australian aquatic biota (CAAB) : an upgraded and expanded species coding system for Australian fisheries databases. CSIRO Division of Marine Research. ISBN   978-0-643-05627-5.
  9. ↑ Paxton, J.R.; Hoese, D.F.; Allen, G.R.; Hanley, J.E. (1989). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 7, Pisces, Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. p. 665. ISBN   978-0-644-09430-6.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Pusey, Brad; Kennard, Mark; Arthington, Angela, eds. (2004). Freshwater Fishes of North-Eastern Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 302–305. ISBN   9780643098954 . Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 KA Bishop; SA Allen; DA Pollard; MG Cook (2001). Ecological studies on the freshwater fishes of the Alligator Rivers Region, Northern Territory: Autecology (PDF). Supervising Scientist Report. Vol. 145. Darwin: Supervising Scientist. pp. 250–264. ISBN   0-642-24348-4. ISSN   1325-1554 . Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  12. ↑ Anon. "TransFly ecoregion". WWF Global. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  13. ↑ Huey, Joel; Baker, Andrew; Hughes, Jane (2010). "High levels of genetic structure in the Australian freshwater fish, Ambassis macleayi". Journal of the North American Benthological Society. 29 (3): 1148–1160. doi:10.1899/09-093.1. hdl: 10072/34098 . S2CID   73567102 . Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  14. 1 2 Humphries, Paul; Walker, Keith, eds. (2013). Ecology of Australian Freshwater fish. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. ISBN   978-0-643-09743-8.
  15. ↑ "Size, take and possession limits for fresh waters". Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries . Retrieved 1 June 2018. A possession limit of 20 per species applies to all freshwater fin fish not listed below.
  16. 1 2 Alex Caughey (16 April 2015). "Introducing the native fish of Australia and New Guinea..." ANGFA Australia New Guinea Fishes Association. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  17. ↑ "Macleay's Glassfish Ambassis macleayi". Aquagreen. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  18. ↑ "Mosquito control in private dams". Queensland Government . Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  19. ↑ John F. Bywater; Robyn Banaczkowski; Megan Bailey (November 1991). "Sensitivity to uranium of six species of tropical freshwater fishes and four species of cladocerans from Northern Australia". Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 10 (11): 1449–1458. doi:10.1002/etc.5620101110.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.