Australia country information

Common names: Australian river gizzard shad, Bardijarr oobanyba, Bont bream
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: abundant (always seen in some numbers) | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Importance: commercial | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Aquaculture: never/rarely | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Rohan, G., 1989
Uses: bait: yes;
Comments: Known from Ashburton River, Western Australia, in coastal rivers of northern Australia to at least the Mary River, Qld. And throughout the lower reaches of the Murray-Darling system to South Australia (Ref. 7300, 75154). Established translocations in Lake Morris, Tinaroo Dam, and Lake Eacham, northern Queensland (Ref. 6071). Known from Burdekin River (Ref. 40171). Stock structure: Bony bream from different areas were originally described as separate species (Ref. 26402, 9973). No studies on stock structure have been conducted. Commercial fishery: Bony bream are fished for commercial purposes only in South Australia. They come as bycatch from other places like Victoria. Most of the catch in recent years have been taken from lakes Albert and Alexandrina and the Coorong, with a small amount coming from the lower reaches of the Murray River. Lake fishers use gillnets which are set in still waters and left overnight. The river fishery uses drum nets (Ref. 26403) on the otherhand which are set in flowing water during the day. Almost half of the total inland fish catch for South Australia are comprised of bony bream (Ref. 26404). Only adults and non-spawning species are fished. They are also used as bait for the southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii, fishery (Ref. 6079) and as potential forage species in aquaculture farms. Recreational fishery: Not usually taken by anglers. The largest bony bream caught weighed 1.86 kg from the Murray River in South Australia, as recorded from the Australian Anglers Association. Resource status: Stocks are abundant and thriving in spite of heavy fishing pressure. A monitoring or research program could be of help to come up with reliable conclusions as to the real status of this fishery. Attempts to rear artificially fertilized ova were not successful (Ref 6079). Also Ref. 188, 44894, 84364.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.csiro.au/
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Bony bream, Australischer Süßwasserhering, Lakarr, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Clupeiformes (Herrings) > Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas)
Etymology: Nematalosa: Greek, nema, -atos = filament + Latin, alausa = a fish cited by Ausonius and Latin, halec = pickle, dealing with the Greek word hals = salt; it is also the old Saxon name for shad = "alli" ; 1591 (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; brackish; pelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 3 m (Ref. 6390). Subtropical; 15°C - 25°C (Ref. 2060); 11°S - 37°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Oceania and Asia: Rivers of Australia and southwestern Papua New Guinea (from Fortescue River near Dampier Archipelago in Western Australia, eastward in rivers through the Northern Territory and Queensland south to the Murray-Darling system; also the Finke River, affluent to Lake Eyre; Bensbach River (Ref. 6993) and Digoel River in New Guinea.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 18.3, range 13 - ? cm
Max length : 48.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6390)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 17 - 26. Belly with 14 to 18 (usually 16 to 17) - 11 to 14 (usually 12 or 13), total 25 to 31 (usually 20 to 30) scutes. Anterior arm of pre-operculum with fleshy triangular area above, not covered by third infra-orbital bone (see N. come). Edge of lower jaw strongly flared outward. Pectoral axillary scale rudimentary or absent. Hind edge of scales not toothed. A dark spot behind gill opening.

Occur often far up rivers, but also in estuaries and in Lakes Alexandrina and Albert near mouth of a river (Ref. 188). Most commonly inhabit streams coursing through relatively dry eucalyptus-scrub or desert areas, preferring sluggish or quiet waters (Ref. 5259, 44894). Also found in saline lakes (slightly less salty than sea water). Tolerant of water temperatures between 9° and 38°C and pH 4.8-8.6. Although these fish have a wide tolerance of temperature and pH, they are susceptible to oxygen depletion and are usually the first to perish when ephemeral habitats begin to dry up. Common length is 15-20 cm (Ref. 44894). Frequently noted in large shoals that feed on benthic algae; also feed on insects and small crustaceans. Spawning may occur repeatedly in the north with a peak during the wet season; probably annual in the south (Ref. 5259, 44894).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

In more northerly part of its range, spawning may take place several times over the year but is probably annual in southern localities.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Whitehead, P.J.P., 1985. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeoidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 188)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 14 February 2019

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless (Ref. 6390)

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; bait: usually

FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00724 (0.00414 - 0.01268), b=2.97 (2.82 - 3.12), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 2.8 ±0.29 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2; tmax=10; Fec=33,000).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate vulnerability (36 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Low.

Nematalosa erebi (Günther, 1868)