30KK jpeg Female, 35mm (1.4in) TL. Peter Unmack photo.

Taxonomy

The genus Chlamydogobius has just been revised by Helen Larson of the Northern Territory Museum (Larson 1995).

Size

To around 60mm (2.4in) TL.

Conservation Status

Listed as Restricted by the Australian Society for Fish Biology.

Distribution & Abundance

The Dalhousie goby occurs in approximately 28 springs at Dalhousie Springs (shown by the black dot) where they are usually common (Kodric-Brown & Brown 1993).

Habitat & Ecology

It can be found throughout the spring outflows, however it is most common in the lower outflows and Phragmites swamps. They are omnivorous (Glover 1989).

Reproduction

The reproductive biology of the Dalhousie goby appears to be similar to other Chlamydogobius species.

Threats

The greatest threat is their restricted range. At Dalhousie Springs, the principal threat is the potential introduction of exotic species, however no introductions have been recorded yet.

Conservation Action

Dalhousie Springs is completely enclosed within Witjira National Park. There is also ongoing population monitoring being conducted by Bryan Pierce from the South Australian Research and Development Institute.

Conservation Recommendations

Continue regular population monitoring.

Important References

Glover, C. J. M. 1989. Fishes. In, Natural History of Dalhousie Springs. Eds. Zeidler, W. & Ponder, W. F. South Australian Museum, Adelaide. pp 89-112.

Kodric-Brown, A. & Brown, J. H. 1993. Highly structured fish communities in Australian desert springs. Ecology. 74(6): 1847-1855.

Larson, H. K. 1995. A review of the Australian endemic gobiid fish genus Chlamydogobius, with description of five new species. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 12: 19-51.

This file was last modified:  18 March 2003