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Lake Eyre hardyhead (Craterocephalus eyresii) — Atherinidae

Lake Eyre hardyhead

Craterocephalus eyresii
Family: Atherinidae

The Lake Eyre hardyhead (Craterocephalus eyresii) is a brackish-water fish of the family Atherinidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Brackish
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Lake Eyre hardyhead is a small silverside (Atherinidae) from fresh and brackish water of the arid interior of Australia, including the Lake Eyre basin. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a slender, silvery body with a shiny lateral stripe and tolerates strongly varying salinity and temperature. It lives in schools in pools, lakes and streams and filters small zooplankton and snaps small invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Lake Eyre hardyhead?

The Lake Eyre hardyhead has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Lake Eyre hardyhead live?

The Lake Eyre hardyhead lives in brackish water and is mostly found around mixed bottom.

How big does the Lake Eyre hardyhead get?

The Lake Eyre hardyhead grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Lake Eyre hardyhead dangerous to humans?

No, the Lake Eyre hardyhead is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Eyre-koornaarvis sourced
English name
Lake Eyre hardyhead sourced
Scientific name
Craterocephalus eyresii
Family
Atherinidae
Other names
Desert hardyhead; Lake Eyre hardyhead; Murray hardyhead; Western crat; Western freshwater hardyhead verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Craterocephalus

More from the family Atherinidae

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