Animal Species:Empire Gudgeon, Hypseleotris compressa (Krefft, 1864)
The Empire Gudgeon is a small freshwater species. Males are vibrantly coloured during the breeding season.
Empire Gudgeon, Hypseleotris compressa
Robert McCormack
© Robert McCormack
Alternative Name/s
Carp Gudgeon, Empire Fish, Northern Carp-gudgeon
Identification
Females are brown to golden and whitish below. In the breeding season males become bright orange-rea on the head and belly. The dorsal and anal fins become bright red-orange basally and with a dark sub-marginal stripe and lighter margins.
Size range
The species grows to about 12 cm in length.
Distribution
The species is known from Australia and Papua New Guinea. In Australia it occurs primarily in coastal drainages from central Western Australia, around the tropical north, and south on the east coast to southern New South Wales.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution by collection data
Ozcam map of Empire Gudgeon specimens in the Australian Museum.
Classification
- Species:
- compressa
- Genus:
- Hypseleotris
- Family:
- Eleotridae
- Order:
- Perciformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Animalia
Further Reading
- Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & M. Allen. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 394.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
Mark McGrouther
, Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:
Tags fishes, ichthyology, Empire Gudgeon, Hypseleotris compressa, Eleotridae, pinkish-white, brown, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, blotches, rocky reef, freshwater, dark blotches on top,
