The Dalhousie hardyhead (''Craterocephalus dalhousiensis'') is a species of

silverside Silverside may refer to: * Silverside (beef), a cut of beef * Silverside (fish), the Atheriniformes, an order of fish * Agnes Silverside (died 1557), one of the Colchester Martyrs * USS ''Silversides'', the name of 2 U.S. Navy submarines * Silver ...

in the family Atherinidae. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the warm waters of

Dalhousie Springs Dalhousie Springs, also known as Witjira-Dalhousie Springs, is a group of over 60 natural artesian springs located in Witjira National Park on the western fringe of the Simpson Desert, 180 kilometres northeast of Oodnadatta in northern South Aus ...

in the

Lake Eyre Lake Eyre ( ), officially known as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is an endorheic lake in east-central Far North South Australia, some north of Adelaide. The shallow lake is the depocentre of the vast endorheic Lake Eyre basin, and contains the ...

basin,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, along with the similar ''

Craterocephalus gloveri Glover's hardyhead (''Craterocephalus gloveri'') is a species of fish in the family Atherinidae endemic to Dalhousie Springs in the Lake Eyre basin, Australia. The fish has a high thermal tolerance and inhabits warm, freshwater spring-fed pools an ...

''. It inhabits shady areas in tropical freshwater streams at 20-39 °C, but has been recorded at 41.8 °C. Its food consists of gastropods, aquatic plants, green filamentous algae, detritus and small invertebrates; food is mainly taken from the substrate. The species is generally golden brown with a darker brown back. A dark midlateral band runs from the snout to the base of the caudal fin. Two to three rows of pigmented scales form discontinuous lines below the midlateral band. It is the only species in the genus ''

Craterocephalus ''Craterocephalus'' is a genus of small and slender brackish or freshwater silversides from Australia and New Guinea. It is the most diverse genus in the family Atherinidae, containing 25 of the 71 species. Species The currently recognized spec ...

'' known to be sexually dimorphic. Adult males are smaller and exhibit a rounded belly compared to the flattened belly of females. Males also lack the forehead concavity exhibited by females.

References

Dalhousie hardyhead The Dalhousie hardyhead (''Craterocephalus dalhousiensis'') is a species of silverside in the family Atherinidae. It is endemic to the warm waters of Dalhousie Springs in the Lake Eyre basin, Australia, along with the similar '' Craterocephalus ...

Vulnerable fauna of Australia Freshwater fish of South Australia

Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Atheriniformes-stub