Leathery grunter (Scortum hillii)

Scientific name: Scortum hillii Castelnau, 1878

The Leathery grunter (Scortum hillii) is a freshwater fish of the family Terapontidae. Native range: Oceania, Endemic to Australia. Known from the northern Gulf of Carpentaria drainages, Queensland, Australia; Norman, Dawson and Fitzroy Rivers.

Biology

Adults inhabit a variety of conditions ranging from brackish estuaries to clear or turbid flowing streams and still pools. Usually in schools feeding on benthic mussels and algae. Temp. range: 12-37.5?C. Form shoals near the bottom. Spawn in summer floods (November, water temp. of 26-28?C) after nocturnal upstream migration. Eggs are guarded and fanned by the male parent. Maturity: M, 25 cm SL; F, >30 cm SL; 50,000 eggs per kg; non-adhesive eggs, 2.5-4.0 mm diameter.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Scortum hillii
Family
Terapontidae (Grunters or tigerperches)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
35.0
Common length
25.0
Environment
Freshwater; brackish; demersal; potamodromous
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Oceania: Endemic to Australia. Known from the northern Gulf of Carpentaria drainages, Queensland, Australia; Norman, Dawson and Fitzroy Rivers.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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