Gilbert's Grunter, Pingalla gilberti Whitley 1955
Gilbert's Grunter, Pingalla gilberti. Source: Gerald R. Allen. License: at rights reserved
Gilbert's Grunter, Pingalla gilberti Whitley 1955
More Info
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Distribution |
Known only from the Norman River (141º02´E) to the Gilbert River (141º20´E) in northern QLD; a tropical species inhabiting slow moving freshwater rivers and streams in turbid water with mud or gravel bottoms. |
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Features |
Meristic features: Dorsal fin XI-XII, 11-13; Anal fin III, 7-9; Pectoral fin 13-17; Pelvic fin I, 5; Lateral line scales 34-41; Transverse scales 4-6/1/10-12; Gill rakers 6-7+1+11-12; Vertebrae 11+14. Body moderately deep, 2.4-2.9 in SL, ovate, compressed; dorsal profile more pronounced than ventral, convex from snout to interorbital region, then straight to dorsal origin; ventral profile curved from tip of lower jaw to pelvic insertion, straight from pelvic insertion to anus. Head length 3.0 to 3.25 in SL. Snout blunt, length 2.6-3.0 in HL. Nostrils separated by a distance twice greatest diameter of posterior nostril. Eye width 3.2-3.8 in HL. Mouth small, nonprotractile; jaws equal or upper a bit longer; jaw length 4.1-4.4 in HL; gape oblique; posterior of maxillary strongly curved downward, reaching to vertical through posterior nostril or falling slightly short; teeth flattened, brown, depressible, in 2 rows in each jaw, outer row protruding laterally slightly, inner row of teeth smaller, less flattened and embedded in fleshy inner surface of mouth; vomer and palatines without teeth. Lacrimal with 3-4 small serrations. Preoperculum serrate; serrations largest on angle. Lower opercular spine stronger and longer; not extending beyond edge of opercular lobe. Posttemporal exposed; serrate posteriorly. Cleithrum exposed; serrate posteriorly; scales on side. Supracleithrum exposed. Scales finely ctenoid; lateral line continuous, smoothly curved; 4-5 scales on caudal; 8-9 predorsal scales to occiput; two irregular rows of scales in sheath at base of dorsal, sheath extending to fifth or sixth dorsal ray; 3-4 rows of scales in sheath at base of anal fin, sheath extending to fifth anal ray; cheek scales in four rows. Dorsal fin continuous, base 1.8-2.0 in SL; spinous portion arched; first spine very short; fourth to sixth spines longest, 1.6-1.9 in HL, those following decreasing gradually in length to penultimate which is shorter than last; longest dorsal spine longer than longest dorsal rays; longest dorsal ray 1.8-2.0 in SL, soft dorsal rounded. Second anal spine twice as long as first, 1.7-1.9 in HL; longer and much stronger than third; shorter than longest anal rays; longest anal ray 1.6-1.8 in HL. Pectoral fin asymmetrically pointed; fourth ray longest. Ventral fins pointed; first ray longest, slightly filamentous; falling short of anus. Caudal fin emarginate. |
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Size |
To at least 10cm SL. |
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Colour |
Body silvery, each scale outlined with dusky green. Smaller fish with 2-3 longitudinal stripes that are lost with age; first from nape to base of soft dorsal; second from nape to dorsal edge of caudal peduncle; third from posttemporal to middle of caudal peduncle; all slightly curved upwards. Scales of dorsal sheath with marked spots of darker pigmentation. Head darker above, pale below, with a band running from eye to snout; eye surrounded by pale yellow; opercular region dark. Dorsal fin pale olive covered with black dots. Anal fin membranes dusky, a blackish blotch on anterior rays. Caudal fin dusky with paler margin. Pectorals and ventral fins yellowish. |
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Feeding |
Omnivore- feeds mainly on algae which is scraped from rocks, and woody debris with flattened teeth. |
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Biology |
Little is known of the reproductive biology of this species although it is likely they produce demersal eggs that sink to the bottom. |
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Conservation |
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least Concern |
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Etymology |
The name gilberti honours John Gilbert, a naturalist in Leichhardt's expedition after whom the type locality of the species, the Gilbert River, is also named. |
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Species Citation |
Pingalla gilberti Whitley, G.P. (1955). Taxonomic notes on fishes. Proc. R. Zool. Soc. N.S.W. 1953–54: 44–57 figs 1–8 [46]. Gilbert River, QLD. |
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Author |
Martin F. Gomon |
Gilbert's Grunter, Pingalla gilberti Whitley 1955
References
Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. (2002). Field guide to the freshwater fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp.
Vari, R.P. (1978). The terapon perches (Percoidei, Terapontidae) a cladistic analysis and taxonomic revision. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 159(5): 175–340 figs 1–94.
Wager, R. 1996. Pingalla gilberti. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 September 2013.
