Southern Purplespotted Gudgeon, Mogurnda adspersa (Castelnau 1878)


Other Names: Chequered Gudgeon, Purple Spotted Gudgeon, Purple-spotted Gudgeon, Southern Purple-spotted Gudgeon, Trout Gudgeon

Southern Purplespotted Gudgeon, Mogurnda adspersa. Source: Michael Hammer. License: All rights reserved

Summary:

A dark-brownish to yellowish-brown gudgeon becoming paler below, with a row of dark blotches surrounded by red and white spots on the sides, and sometimes iridescent blue markings.

Males have 3-4 diagonal brownish to purple bars on the head from behind and below the eye to the pectoral-fin base, and red spots on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins.



Cite this page as:
Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2023, Mogurnda adspersa in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4148

Southern Purplespotted Gudgeon, Mogurnda adspersa (Castelnau 1878)

More Info


Distribution

Widespread in most major coastal drainages of eastern Australia, from near Princess Charlotte Bay, far northern Queensland, to the Clarence River, northern New South Wales, with a widespread but highly fragmented distribution in the Murray-Darling Basin, including near Kerang, Victoria.

Inhabits muddy and sandy areas of slow flowing or still waters of small streams, rainforest streams, large rivers, dune lake systems and quiet weedy pools and billabongs.., creeks and billabongs freshwater rivers, creeks and billabongs. Individuals usually occur near cover, often sheltering among aquatic vegetation, rocks, snags, and other woody debris. 

Features

Dorsal fin VII-IX + I, 9-12; Anal fin I, 10-12; Pectoral fin 14-16; Caudal fin 14-15 (segmented), 12-15 (branched); Pelvic fin I, 5; Transverse scale rows 10-12; Vertebrae 14-15 + 15-18 = 30-32.

Body elongate, head and anterior part of body somewhat robust, more laterally compressed posteriorly; body depth at pelvic fin origin 24.5-28.0% SL, body depth at anal fin origin 23.7-25.5% SL, head length 32.1-36.2% SL, snout length 8.9-9.6% SL, eye diameter 6.0-8.2% SL; Mouth rather small, reaching below front part of eye; pointed, jaws with villiform, posteriorly curved teeth, in dense bands, outer row enlarged. Sensory pores absent on head, but well developed system of papillae arranged in multiserial bands. Gill opening extending nearly to below rear margin of eye. Sexual dimorphism generally inconspicuous.


Head and body covered with scales, except lips, snout tip, preorbital region, lower jaw, and chin; those on head, predorsal region, breast, uppermost part of back and bases of caudal and pectoral fins cycloid, remainder finely ctenoid; lateral line absent; longitudinal series 30-36; predorsal scales 16-21; transverse scales 10-12 (usually 11).


Two dorsal fins, first rounded and lower than second, with slender, flexible spines; second dorsal and anal fins similar and opposite. Pectoral fin rounded, pectoral fin length 21.3-24.0 % SL; Pelvic fins separate, pointed, pelvic fin length 19.0-22.5% SL. Caudal fin rounded, caudal fin length 25.3-30.1; caudal peduncle length 20.5-23.8, caudal peduncle depth 13.7-15.9.

Size

To around 12 cm SL, commonly to 8 cm.

Colour

Generally brown above, paler on sides and pale tan on belly, with 3 diagonal, reddish stripes on head across cheek and operculum; sides covered with numerous red, pupil-sized or smaller, spots and 6-8 large, grey to blackish blotches along middle of side, usually faint except posterior-most ones; fins dusky grey to yellowish-brown, except whitish or dusky grey to translucent pectorals and pelvics; dorsal fins with broad outer margin of yellow and scattered red spots on lower half of fin, increasing in size towards base of fin; anal fin with narrow white outer margin and white basal stripe punctuated with red spots; caudal fin with small red spots, larger and more concentrated on basal portion.

Feeding

Feeds on aquatic macroinvertebrates such as insect larvae, worms, glass shrimps, small fishes, tadpoles and small yabbies.

Biology

Oviparous, benthic spawners. Spawning occurs between pairs in Spring from November to March. Females mawhen water temperatures reach 20oC. Females batches of 30-1300 sticky eggs per breeding season, depositing them onto rocks, logs or broad-leafed aquatic vegetation. The male parent guards the eggs and continuously fans them with his pectoral and anal fins until they hatch after 3-9 days.

Eggs are transparent, elongate and pointed at both ends, and measure 2.0-3.8 mm by 1.1-1.3 mm.

Larvae hatch after 3-9 days at 3.5-4.0mm TL; yolk is fully absorbed and feeding on zooplankton commences around 6 days post hatching.

Conservation

The species was thought to have become extinct in Victoria during the 1940s. However, a small population was discovered near Kerang. 

The species was on the verge of extinction in South Australia until the establishment of a captive breeding program. Captive bred Southern Purplespotted Gudgeons have been released into the lower River Murray, and their numbers appear to be increasing.

Remarks

Populations north of the Burdekin River are genetically distinct and represent a separate undescribed species (Adams et al. 2013). Three evolutionary significant populations occur south of the Burdekin River, Queensland: Central East Queensland, South East Queensland (and North East New South Wales), and the Murray-Darling Basin (Sasaki et al. 2016)

Species Citation

Eleotris adspersa Castelnau 1878, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. (1)3(2): 142. Type locality: Australia.

Author

Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2023

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Southern Purplespotted Gudgeon, Mogurnda adspersa (Castelnau 1878)

References


Adams, M., Page, T.J., Hurwood, D.A. & Hughes. J.M. 2013. A molecular assessment of species boundaries and phylogenetic affinities in Mogurnda (Eleotridae): a case study of cryptic biodiversity in the Australian freshwater fishes. Marine and Freshwater Research 64(10): 920-931. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MF12237

Allen, G.R. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 240 pp., 63 pls.

Allen, G.R. & Jenkins, A.P. 1999. A review of the Australian freshwater gudgeons, genus Mogurnda (Eleotridae) with descriptions of three new species.  Aqua, J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 3(4): 141–155.

Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia.  Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp.

Bice, C., Gilligan, D., Raadik, T. & Unmack, P. 2019. Mogurnda adspersa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T13609A123378372. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T13609A123378372.en. Accessed on 12 April 2023.

Boxall, G.D., Sandberg, J.J. & Kroon, F.J. 2002. Population structure, movement and habitat preferences of the purple-spotted gudgeon Mogurnda adspersa. Marine and Freshwater Research 53: 909-917

Briggs, G. 1998. Murray-Darling Mogurnda adspersa. Fishes of Sahul 12: 543-556.

Cadwallader, P.L. & Backhouse, G.N. 1983. A Guide to the Freshwater Fish of Victoria.  Melbourne : F.D. Atkinson Government Printer 249 pp.

Carvalho, C.D., Sasaki, M., Hammer, M.P. & Beheregaray, L.B. 2012. Development of 18 microsatellite markers for the southern purple-spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa) from the lower Murray-Darling Basin through 454 pyrosequencing. Conservation Genetic Resources 4(2): 339–341 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9542-0

Castelnau, F.L. de 1878. On some new Australian (chiefly) freshwater fishes. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. (1)3(2): 140–144. See ref at BHL

De Vis, C.W. 1884. New fishes in the Queensland Museum. No. 4. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1 9(3): 685-698 (as Eleotris mimus  & Eleotris concolor)

Faulks, L.K., Gilligan, D.M. & Beheregaray, L.B. 2008. Phylogeography of a threatened freshwater fish (Mogurnda adspersa) in eastern Australia: conservation implications. Marine and Freshwater Research 59: 89-96. 

Gale, A. 1914. Notes on the breeding habits of the purple-spotted gudgeon, Krefftius adspersus. Australian Zoologist 1: 25-26.

Gilligan, D. 2005. Fish Communities of the Murrumbidgee Catchment: Status and Trends. NSW Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries final report series No. 75.

Hammer, M.P., Adams, M. & Foster, R. 2012. Update to the catalogue of South Australian freshwater fishes (Petromyzontida & Actinopterygii). Zootaxa 3593: 59–74

Hammer, M.P. & Walker, K.F. 2004. A catalogue of South Australian freshwater fishes, including new records, range extensions and translocations. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 128(2): 85-97

Hammer, M., Wedderburn, S. & Van Weenen, J. 2009. Action plan for South Australian freshwater fishes. Native Fish Australia (SA), Adelaide.

Hughes, J.M., Real, K.M., Marshall, J.C., & Schmidt, D.J. 2012. Extreme genetic structure in a small-bodied freshwater fish, the purple spotted gudgeon, Mogurnda adspersa (Eleotridae). PLoS ONE 7, e40546. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0040546

Hurwood D.A. & Hughes J.M. 1998. Phylogeography of the freshwater fish, Mogurnda adspersa, in streams of northeastern Queensland, Australia: evidence for altered drainage patterns. Molecular Ecology 7: 1507–1517.

Lake, J.S. 1978. Australian Freshwater Fishes.  Melbourne : Thomas Nelson 160 pp. 140 figs.

Larson, H.K. & Hoese, D.F. 1996. Family Gobiidae, subfamilies Eleotridinae and Butinae. pp. 200-219 in McDowall, R.M. (ed.) Freshwater Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Sydney : Reed Books 247 pp.

Leggett, R. & Merrick, J.R. 1987. Australian Native Fishes for Aquariums.  Artarmon : J.R. Merrick Publications 241 pp. 142 figs.

Lintermans, M. 2009. Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin — An Introductory Guide. Canberra : Murray-Darling Basin Commission 157 pp. [MDBC Publication Number 10/07]

Llewellyn, L.C. 2006. Breeding and development of the endangered - Purple-spotted Gudgeon Mogurnda adspersa population from the Murray Darling. Australian Zoologist 33(4): 480-510.

Merrick, J.R. & Schmida, G.E. 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes Biology and Management.  Sydney : J.R. Merrick 409 pp. figs 280 col. figs

Ogilby, J.D. 1898. On some Australian Eleotrinae. Part 2. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 22(4): 783-793 (as Krefftius adspersa)

Pusey, B.J., Burrows,D.W., Kennard, M.J., Perna, C.N., et al. 2017. Freshwater fishes of northern Australia. Zootaxa 4253(1): 1-104. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4253.1.1

Pusey, B.J., Kennard, M.J. & Arthington, A.H. 2004. Freshwater Fishes of North-eastern Australia. Collingwood, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 684 pp. 

Sasaki, M., Hammer, M.P., Unmack, P.J., Adams, M. & Beheregaray, L.B. 2016. Population genetics of a widely distributed small freshwater fish with varying conservation concerns: the southern purple spotted gudgeon, Mogurnda adspersa. Conservation Genetics 17(4): 875-889.

Stoessel, D.J., Raadik, T.A, Adams, M., Shelley, J., et al. 2022. Status of Southern Purple-spotted Gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa) in the Kerang region, Victoria. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research. Technical Report Series No. 343. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg, Victoria.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37429033

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Fishing:Aquarium fish

Habitat:Freshwater

Max Size:12 cm SL

Native:Endemic

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map