''Glossamia aprion'' is a species of freshwater

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or h ...

from the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Apogonidae Cardinalfishes are a family, Apogonidae, of ray-finned fishes found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans; they are chiefly marine, but some species are found in brackish water and a few (notably ''Glossamia'') are found in fresh water. A h ...

, the

cardinalfish Cardinalfishes are a family, Apogonidae, of ray-finned fishes found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans; they are chiefly marine, but some species are found in brackish water and a few (notably '' Glossamia'') are found in fresh water. A ...

es, from northern Australia and New Guinea. In Australia, it is commonly known as the mouth almighty.

Description

''G. aprion'' has a creamy-brown background colour and six to eight irregularly shaped, broken markings which are similar to bars; these are darker olive-brown in colour and they reach the ventral side. They also have many irregular, darker brown spots and blotches, which vary in size, and a dark bar which runs from the eye to gills. The first

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through c ...

is sooty in colour, with the outer half much darker than the inner part, as are the

pelvic The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton). The p ...

and the inner parts of second dorsal and anal fins. Also, dark spots and marbling are on these fins. This species grows to a maximum standard length of , although standard lengths of are normal.

Distribution

''G. aprion'' is widespread in northern Australia, where its occurs in rivers, creeks, and lagoons from the Fitzroy River in the West Kimberley region of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

to the

Burnett River The Burnett River is a river located in the Wide Bay–Burnett and Central Queensland regions of Queensland, Australia. Course and features The Burnett River rises in the Burnett Range, part of the Great Dividing Range, close to Mount Gaeta a ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

. It is found in similar habitats in

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...

Habitat and ecology

''G. aprion'' is native to still or slowly flowing fresh waters, where it shelters in aquatic vegetation growing in the shallows near the edges. It is a nocturnal species which ambushes its prey, mainly small crustaceans, insects, and smaller fish. The female lays a relatively small number of large eggs. These are brooded by the male in his mouth, and the larvae hatch at a quite advanced stage.

References

External links

mouth Almighty video on Youtube
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5760098 mouth almighty Freshwater fish of New Guinea Freshwater fish of Australia mouth almighty