A research team, led by the University of Melbourne, has discovered 20 new fish species during field work in the remote Kimberley, one of Australia’s most remote areas.
Associate Professor Tim Dempster, from the School of BioSciences, says it is the single greatest addition to Australia’s freshwater fish inventory since records began and boosts the total number of known species by 10 per cent.
The new species belong to three families: terapontidae (grunters), eleotridae (gudgeons) and atherinidae (hardy heads).
Take a look at some of them here.
TERAPONTIDAE: HANNIA WINTONI, FOUND IN THE PRINCE REGENT RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: SYNCOMISTES SPECIES 1, MITCHELL RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: SYNCOMISTES SPECIES 2, PENTECOST RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: SYNCOMISTES SPECIES 3, ORD RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: SYNCOMISTES SPECIES 4, PRINCE REGENT RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: SYNCOMISTES SPECIES 5, ISDELL RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: SYNCOMISTES SPECIES 6, MORAN RIVER (ROE CATCHMENT)
TERAPONTIDAE: SYNCOMISTES SPECIES 7, KING EDWARD RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: AMNIATABA SPECIES 1, SALE RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: AMNIATABA SPECIES 2, PENTECOST RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: AMNIATABA SPECIES 3, DRYSDALE RIVER
TERAPONTIDAE: AMNIATABA SPECIES 4, FITZROY RIVER
ELEOTRIDAE: HYPSELEOTRIS SPECIES 1, ROE RIVER
ELEOTRIDAE: HYPSELEOTRIS SPECIES 2, KING EDWARD RIVER
ELEOTRIDAE: HYPSELEOTRIS SPECIES 3, CALDER RIVER
ATHERINDAE: CRATEROCEPHALUS SPECIES 1, GLENELG RIVER
No supplied pictures for Syncomistes Species 8, Prince Regent River; Amniataba Species 5, Isdell River; Species 6, Ord River and Species 7, Durack River (all terapontidae).
Banner Image: The as-yet unnamed Syncomistes Species 7, as found in the King Edward River. Photo: Tim Dempster