ABOUT Freshwater Fish Key

The Key to Australian Freshwater Fishes is an interactive tool to help you identify both native and introduced freshwater fishes found in Australian freshwaters upstream of tidal influence. The key is based on a matrix of characters for each species and has lots of associated images and illustrations. The key is also linked to image galleries and fact sheets for each species.

The key is easy to use, and the Glossary (internal hyperlink) provides an explanation of all the technical terms used. See Using the Key (internal hyperlink) for further information on using the key, or simply launch (internal hyperlink) it now.

Included species

The key includes 283 fish species that spend all or a part of their lives upstream of mangrove communities. Although Australia has relatively few freshwater fishes compared with many other parts of the world, species in some groups are difficult to identify. Therefore, we have included more than 180 different features and over 650 character states for these 283 species.

A number of researchers are currently working on Australian freshwater fishes and it is clear that many species have been previously overlooked. As new species are discovered we will add them to the key.

This key aims to cover:

·         All formally-named Australian native freshwater species.

·         Marine and estuarine species that are sometimes found in the fully freshwater parts of creeks and rivers above mangroves.

·         All non-native or introduced species that have established populations in Australian freshwaters.

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Author: Bray, D.J. 2015