Australian Freshwater Herring

Body fairly elongate, belly keeled, with 16 to 18 + 14 or 15 scutes; about 14 dorsal scutes with low keel from head to dorsal fin origin. Minute or no teeth in jaws; second supra-maxilla slender. Branchiostegal rays 8. Anal fin origin far behind dorsal fin base. Juveniles resemble Hyperlophus, which has a deeper second supra-maxilla, only 4 branchiostegal rays and i 6 pelvic fin rays.

Catadromous. Migrating from freshwater to the sea to spawn, e.g., European eels. Subdivision of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 18; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 16 - 27

Seems to be diadromous (Ref. 5259). Feeds on benthic organisms (Ref. 188).

It occurs in clear, moderately fast-flowing streams, as well as in quiet backwaters, estuaries, and in the sea ( Ref. 5259, 44894). Also found in sluggish lowland rivers (Ref. 44894). A schooling species and appears diadromous. A fast swimming, shoal-forming species. Nothing much is known of its biology, although it may have a catadromous life cycle. Downstream migration to estuaries, presumably for spawning, has been reported in winter months (July-August). Feeds on worms, small crustaceans and insects (Ref. 44894). Breeds in estuaries in July to August. Taken in nets during the spawning season; will also take bait.

fisheries: subsistence fisheries