Elongate Hardyhead, Atherinosoma elongatum (Klunzinger 1879)


Other Names: Rockingham Hardyhead, Small-mouth Hardyhead, Swan River Hardyhead

Elongate Hardyhead, Atherinosoma elongatum. Source: Rudie H. Kuiter / Aquatic Photographics. License: All rights reserved

Summary:
A translucent, green to olive-green hardyhead becoming pale green, yellowish or silvery below, with a broad silvery-brown to coppery-red mid-lateral stripe, and usually a silvery abdomen, opercle and preopercle with a blue or green iridescent sheen.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2021, Atherinosoma elongatum in Fishes of Australia, accessed 30 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/4632

Elongate Hardyhead, Atherinosoma elongatum (Klunzinger 1879)

More Info


Distribution


Endemic to southwestern and southern Australia from Nelson (southwestern Victoria) to the Bowes River about 50 km north of Geraldton (Western Australia), excluding the Great Australian Bight between Point Dempster and Fowlers Bay.  
Forms schools in shallow estuaries, protected bays, inlets, coastal lakes, and river mouths.

Features

Dorsal fin IV–VIII +  I, 8–12; Anal fin I, 8–14; Caudal fin 17; Pectoral fin 12–16; Pelvic fin I, 5; Gill rakers (lower limb) 12–16; Vertebrae 37–43; midlateral scales 35–41.
Caudal peduncle depth 5–8% SL; head length 24–31% SL; snout length 55–91% eye diameter; upper jaw length 62–125% eye diameter; length of ascending process of premaxilla 24–72% eye diameter; teeth of variable size, usually large and in several rows, usually absent from vomer and ectopterygoid; pelvic-fin tip to between 0.5 scale before and 1.5 scales beyond anus.

Colour

Translucent, green to olive-green becoming pale green, yellowish or silvery below, with a broad silvery-brown to coppery-red midlateral stripe, and the abdomen, opercle and preopercle usually silvery with blue or green iridescent sheen; fins transparent.

Remarks

Some authors refer to this species as Atherinosoma elongata.

Similar Species

Differs from the similar Smallmouth Hardyhead, Atherinosoma microstoma, in having 3 scale rows above the lateral line, no tooth patches on the tongue, and a slightly more slender body - vs 2 scale rows above the lateral line and oval tooth patches on the tongue, and occurring in freshwater to marine habitats in the Smallmouth Hardyhead.

Etymology

The specific name is from the Latin elongatus (= elongate, prolonged) in reference to the longer body of this species compared with that of Atherinomorus pinguis and Hypoatherina valenciennei, (taxa presumed to be congeners at the time of Klunzinger's description).

Species Citation

Atherina elongata Klunzinger 1879, Anzeiger der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, Wien 16(22): 259. Type locality: King George Sound, Western Australia.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2021

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Elongate Hardyhead, Atherinosoma elongatum (Klunzinger 1879)

References


Humphries, P., Hyndes, G.A. & Potter, I.C. 1992. Comparisons between the diets of distant taxa (Teleost and Cormorant) in an Australian estuary. Estuaries 15(3): 327-334.

Ivantsoff, W. 1978. Taxonomic and systematic review of the Australian fish species of the family Atherinidae with references to related species of the Old World. PhD Thesis, Macquarie University, Sydney 701 pp. 118 figs. 

Ivantsoff, W. 1994. Families Atherinidae, Isonidae. pp. 375-383 figs 336-342 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. 

Klunzinger, C.B. 1879. Die v. Müller'sche Sammlung Australischer Fische. Anzeiger der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, Wien 16(22): 254-261 

Klunzinger, C.B. 1880. Die von Müller'sche Sammlung australischer Fische in Stuttgart. Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe 80(1. Abth.) (nos 3-4): 325-430, Pls. 1-9 See ref at BHL

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. (in part as Atherinosoma microstoma)

Munro, I.S.R. 1961. Handbook of Australian fishes. Nos 1–42. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 15–17, 19, 20: 1-172 (p. 680, as Taeniomembras elongatus)

Pavlov, A., Ivantsoff, W., Last, P.R. & Crowley, L.E.L.M. 1988. Kestratherina brevirostris, a new genus and species of silverside (Pisces: Atherinidae) with a review of atherinid marine and estuarine genera of southern Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 39: 385-397.

Prince, J.D., Ivantsoff, W. & Potter, I.C. 1982. Atherinosoma wallacei, a new species of estuarine and inland water silverside (Teleostei : Atherinidae) from the Swan-Avon and Murray Rivers, Western Australia. The Australian Zoologist 21(1): 63-74 figs 1-2. 

Prince, J.D. & Potter, I.C. 1983. Life-cycle duration, growth and spawning times of five species of Atherinidae (Teleostei) found in a western Australian estuary. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 34: 287-301.

Raadik, T.A. 2008. Family Atherinidae. pp. 395-400 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Whitley, G.P. 1943. Ichthyological descriptions and notes. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 68(3, 4): 114-144 figs 1-12 (described as Atherinosoma rockinghamensis)

Whitley, G.P. 1955. Freshwater atherines from Western Australia (Pisces : Atherinidae). Western Australian Naturalist 5(2): 25–31 figs 1–5 (as Atherinosoma rockinghamensis)

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37246010

Behaviour:Estuaries, bays, coastal lakes

Max Size:9.5 cm SL

Native:Endemic

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CAAB distribution map