PORT PHILLIP BAY


Flathead Gudgeon 

Philypnodon grandiceps (Krefft, 1864)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VI-VII; I, 8-10
Anal fin spines/rays: I, 8-10
Caudal fin rays: (segmented) 15
Pectoral fin rays: 16-20
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: -
Gill rakers: 14-20
Vertebrae: 29-30

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
A large and highly diverse group of modern bony fishes many of which have a generalized perch like body form. Most have pelvic fins with one spine and 5 rays and the maxillary bone is excluded from the gape of the mouth. Interrelationships of the group are poorly understood and continue to be studied. They inhabit almost all aquatic habitats from high-altitude strams to the deep sea, although most are marine.

Family level detail.
Small to medium-sized fishes found worldwide in tropical and temperate regions. Most species occur in freshwater or estuarine environments, often amongst mangroves. A few inhabit rocky or coral reefs.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Eleotridae
Subfamily:
Eleotrinae
Genus:
Philypnodon
Species:
grandiceps

General Description

Body slender, tapering towards tail; head large, flattened on top; gill openings wide; eyes widely-spaced; large males with bulbous cheeks; mouth small in females and young males, reaching beyond eye in large males. Greyish-yellowish brown with indistinct darker blotches below dorsal fins and a faint bar before dorsal fin. Sides of belly usually with 4-5 thin vertical bands. To 11 cm.

Biology

Although this species is usually found in coastal freshwater streams, individuals sometimes occur in the brackish areas of the lower reaches of streams, lakes and lagoons, including the lower reaches of the Yarra River in Victoria.

Distribution guide

South-eastern and eastern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Gudgeons

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Max Size

11 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Flathead Gudgeon, Philypnodon grandiceps, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 19 Oct 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6445

Text: creative commons cc by licence