Scientific Name
Macquaria ambigua

Common Name
Golden perch

Biology
Golden perch live throughout the river systems, from the clear, fast flowing upper reaches to the turbid, slow flowing lower reaches and associated billabongs and backwaters. They favor deep pools with plenty of cover from fallen timber, rocky ledges or undercut banks (Ref. 27439, 44894). Prefer warm, slow-moving, turbid sections of streams. Also occur in flooded lakes, backwaters and impoundments. Tolerant of temperatures between 4? and 35?C and high salinity levels (up to 35 p.p.t.). Solitary species (Ref. 44894). Their diet is dominated by yabbies (Cherax destructor), and a variety of fish species (Ref. 27439). Juveniles disperse throughout the floodplain to find food and cover (Ref. 27440). They feed on abundant zooplankton on recently inundated floodplains (Ref. 6390, 44894). Adults feed on fishes, mollusks and crayfish (Ref. 44894). Spawn from ear

Classification

Classified By

Richardson, 1845

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Temperate perches (Percichthyidae)

Distribution

Region

Oceania

Distribution

Oceania: Australia, Murray-Darling system (except in higher tributaries), Dawson-Fitzroy system of southeastern Queensland. Also in Lake Eyre and Bulloo River drainages and floodplain lakes of Western Victoria and New South Wales. Widely introduced to other coastal systems of Queensland and New South Wales.

Range

19°S - 38°S

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

10 °C

Water Temperature To

30 °C

Depth From - meters

10 m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - ? m (Ref. 27439)

Trophic Level

3.69 s.e. 0.57 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

76.0 cm

Common Length

45.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (35 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=2-5; tmax=20)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated