Overview
Sometimes confused with estuary perch (Macquaria colonorum), which has an overlapping range, bass may be differentiated from estuary perch by white edges to anal and pelvic fins, and more rounded and streamlined head and body profile. The back and sides of the bass are dark green, whereas the perch is silvery and has a slight hump on the head just behind the eye. The tail is forked and the two dorsal fins are deeply notched, almost forming two separate fins.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Percichthyidae
- Genus
- Macquaria
- Species
- novemaculeata
Habitat
The Australian bass is often found far upstream in freshwater while concealed in in-stream debris, in or near weedbeds, or under rocky outcrops and undercut banks. Australian bass are found at their highest altitude in the freshwater reaches of rivers during the months of December, January and February. Research indicates there is sexual segregation in this non-spawning season for resource partitioning purposes.[3] Males inhabit the lower freshwater reaches of rivers while females travel far into the middle and even upper freshwater (upland) reaches. The distance Australia bass travel upstream appears to be limited only by flows and impassable barriers (historically, waterfalls; today, often, dams). In the freshwater reaches of coastal rivers in the warmer months, Australian bass require reasonable quality, unsilted habitats with adequate native riparian vegetation and in-stream cover/habitat. Australian bass generally sit in cover during the day.
Diet
They feed on a variety of things, including: errestrial insects, particularly cicadas, aquatic macroinvertebrates, particularly Trichoptera larvae, crustaceans in the forms of freshwater shrimps and estuarine prawns, small fish, particularly flathead gudgeon. Mice, lizards, and frogs are also apart of there diet.
Behavior
Australian bass are primarily a freshwater riverine species, but must breed in estuarine waters. Consequently, Australian bass reside in the freshwater reaches of coastal rivers for the warmer half of the year or slightly more and the estuarine reaches in winter, and are highly migratory in general.
Fishing
Australian bass is an outstanding freshwater sportfish. It will respond to similar angling methods employed for trout and will easily outfight trout of a similar size. They are prized for their tenacious fighting ability, explosive surface strikes and willingness to take flies and lures as well as bait. Australian bass is first-class fare, the flesh is firm with good texture. Further taxonomic revision may yet see Australian bass and estuary perch moved out of the Percichthyidae family and into a family of their own.
Conservation Status
Listed as Data Deficient. Although, research shows that there has been a decline in population. How bad that is, we are still not sure. More Information is needed. by IUCN.