Hephaestus fuliginosus
FAMILY
Terapontidae
TAXONOMY
Hephaestus fuliginosus Macleay, 1883, Upper Burdekin River, north Queensland, Australia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Black bream; German: Rußiger Grunzbarsch.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Reaches 17.7 in (45 cm) total length, but usually smaller in smaller streams. The body is typical of freshwater grunters. Silvery olive in color. There are 11–12 spines and 12–14 soft rays in the dorsal fin, 3 spines and 8–10 soft rays in the anal fin, and 15–17 pectoral fin rays. Lower jaw is distinguished by a discontinuous lip fold.
DISTRIBUTION
Australia, from north coastal Queensland (Cape Hillsborough) to the Gulf of Carpentaria and west to the Daly River in the Northern Territory. Replaced by H. jenkinsi in northwestern Australia, including the Kimberly Region of Western Australia.
HABITAT
Sandy or rocky bottoms in the upper reaches of large, flowing streams; also in reservoirs. Tolerates a considerable range of temperatures and moderately acidic conditions.
BEHAVIOR
Solitary or in groups, usually in association with submerged plants or other forms of structure.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Omnivorous, feeds upon invertebrates, amphibians, algae, roots of emergent plants, and fruits that fall upon the water.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Migrates to spawn in groups during summer months; spawning migration is triggered by rains. Eggs are demersal.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Important as a game fish in Australia.
