Scientific Name
Macquaria australasica

Common Name
Australian bass

Biology
Occurs in lakes and flowing streams usually in deep holes with rock or gravel substrates (Ref. 5259). Inhabits cool, clear water of rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Prefers slow-flowing, deep rocky pools. Solitary, swimming near the bottom or in mid-water, but form small shoals during the spawning season (October to December) (Ref. 44894). Forms large shoals near shore. Fry feeds on zooplankton; adult on aquatic insects, crustaceans and mollusks. Male matures at 20 cm (2 y), female at 30 cm (3 y). Spawns upstream in spring or early summer; eggs hatch in 13-18 days; larvae of 7 cm TL (Ref. 5259). Moves into areas just upstream of shallow riffles over gravel or rocky bottoms to spawn. The female releases demersal eggs which sink into cracks in the substrate. Fish in reservoirs move into flowing feeder streams to spawn. Sexual maturity is reached after 2 ye

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1830

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Temperate perches (Percichthyidae)

Distribution

Region

Oceania

Distribution

Oceania: Once widely distributed in the Murray-Darling basin and southeastern coastal drainages. Now reduced to cooler upper reaches of Murray-Darling basin, New South Wales, Australia. Introduced in the Wannon, Barwon, Yarra Rivers (Victoria) and the Nepean and Shoalhaven Rivers (New South Wales), Australia.

Range

34°S - 37°S

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

4 °C

Water Temperature To

25 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

4 m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 4 m

Trophic Level

3.25 s.e. 0.01 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

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

46.0 cm

Common Length

23.0 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; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (49 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2-3)

Threat To Humans

Harmless (Ref. 2906)

IUCN Red List Status

Data deficient (DD)