ATHERINIDAE Hardyheads or silversides
Recorded to 64mm (2.6in) SL.
Listed as Restricted by the Australian Society for Fish Biology.
Restricted to the Finke River and its associated tributaries. They are generally abundant within this restricted range.
They occur in relatively permanent waterholes, either in open water or amongst aquatic vegetation. Their diet is probably omnivorous. Finke hardyheads would have broad temperature and salinity tolerances.
Nothing is known of their breeding biology. Like most craterocephalids they probably spawn during the warmer months, laying 20 or more eggs daily.
The only present threat to this species is it's restricted range. The majority of relatively permanent water exists within National Parks or conservation reserves. Despite this, the introduction of additional fish species remains a potential threat.
None are presently undertaken.
It would be beneficial if monitoring for the presence of introduced species is done on a regular basis.
Crowley, L. E. L. M. & Ivantsoff, W. 1990b. A review of species previously identified as Craterocephalus eyresii (Pisces: Atherinidae). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 112(2): 87-103.
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This file was last modified: 18 March 2003