Macquaria ambigua ambigua (Richardson 1845)
Murray-Darling golden perch or yellowbelly

PERCICHTHYIDAE, Freshwater cods and perches


image 42KK jpeg 250mm (10in) TL. Murray-Darling golden perch from the Langlo River, Charleville, Queensland. Peter Unmack photo.

Size

To 760mm (30in) TL and 23kg (54lb).

Introduced Distribution & Abundance

Two illegal stockings of Murray-Darling golden perch have been recorded in the Hay/Plenty River Drainage (Unmack unpub. data). They have also been stocked in Clayton Bore which leads towards Lake Eyre (Unmack unpub. data). It has probably been introduced elsewhere, as it is a popular angling/eating fish, and fingerlings are readily available. There is also little monitoring on where fish hatcheries send fish to, even though it is illegal to translocate species outside their natural ranges.

Native Distribution

The Murray-Darling Drainage Basin in south-eastern Australia.

Threats to other Species

The primary threat is hybridisation with Lake Eyre/Bulloo golden perch. It is presently unknown if this species will hybridise with related species.

Important References

Merrick, J. R. & Schmida, G. E. 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes: Biology and Management. Griffith Press Ltd. 409pp.

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The Australian desert fishes pages are compiled and maintained by Peter J. Unmack
Many thanks to Karen Randall for her excellent drawing of a desert goby that is
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This file was last modified:  18 March 2003