MIDGLEY'S CARP GUDGEON
Hypseleotris sp. 4 (undescribed)
Named after Stephen Hamar Midgley who worked for the Australian Fisheries
in the 1970's and 80's. Born Wynum, Queensland Dec. 1918.
1939-45 A.I.F. Captain 2/5 Field Regiment.
1968 Churchill Fellowship to study Nile Perch in Uganda.
1984 Order of Australia [OM] for studies of native freshwater fishes.
1994 Doctor of Science honoris causa: U.Q. For outstanding contributions
in the fields of fish biology and ecology.5
Description
A tiny fish with a very compressed head and body. First dorsal fin (VI-VIII)
originates behind level of pelvic fin bases, lower than 2nd dorsal and has
a rounded margin. Second dorsal (I, 11-13 originates above vent, anterior
rays slightly elevated, posterior rays short in females and elongate in males.
Anal fin 1,11-13. Tail truncate to slightly rounded (15 segmented caudal
rays). Pectorals with 14-16 rays. Fourth pelvic ray longest, 3rd ray longer
than 5th, giving fin an acutely pointed margin. Pelvic fins reach halfway
or more of distance to vent. Body covered with ciliated scales (31-36 along
side, usually 31-34, 13-20 predorsal scales). Top of head covered with small
cycloid scales to above posterior margin of eyes. Sides of head, pectoral
bases, breast and midline of belly covered with small cycloid scales; no scales
on snout. No head pores; 29-30 vertebrae; 11-13 gill rakers.
Sexual dimorphism in males the 1st dorsal is only slightly rounded and
long-based, reaching to base of 2nd dorsal; the fin in females with a rounded
margin and widely separated from 2nd dorsal. Mature males develop a distinct
hump extending from about front of eyes back to 1st dorsal fin; also have
the posterior dorsal and anal rays elongated. Males typically grow slightly
larger than females. As in all species of Hypseleotris, the urinogenital papilla
margin is smooth in males and fringed in females.
Colour
Varies considerably with size, sex, locality and season. Head and body
vary from pale grey to brown; a distinct black spot on upper third of pectoral
base, scales edged in black. Often charcoal-grey vertical bands on sides;
no black spots or bars on caudal peduncle. Belly distinctly silvery in
life, and has black along or to sides of midline. First dorsal has a basal
dusky stripe, above which is a wider reddish orange stripe. Just above midline
of fin another dusky stripe bordered above by a white marginal stripe. Second
dorsal with a similar orange stripe, but dusky bands above and below nearly
as wide as orange band. A thin sub-marginal orange stripe present, becoming
pearly white posteriorly. Anal fin very like 2nd dorsal, but bands of colour
less distinct. Tail fin with basal half yellowish or dusky. Pelvics and pectorals
clear. Fin colours most marked in breeding males and indistinct in females
and young males. This colour description is based on samples from one area,
and fish from others may display slightly different colour patterns.
Size
Reaches 60mm.
Distribution
Occurs in inland drainages of South Australia, New South Wales and Southern
Queensland
and central Queensland.
Conservation status Common across range.
Natural history Often found around vegetation, but also schools
in caves or other sheltered areas feeds on aquatic crustaceans, particularly
clado-cerans and copepods.
Utility Has considerable potential as an
aquarium fish.
Similar species Can be confused with other species of Hypseleotris
from south-eastern
Australia; frequently confused with western carp gudgeon.
Other names Common: none. Scientific: none4.
LAKE'S CARP GUDGEONHypseleotris
sp. 5 (undescribed)
Very similar to Midgley’s carp gudgeon Differing in only a few features,
notably the lack of scales on the nape, breast and belly; also sometimes
a naked strip under 1st dorsal fin (31-36 lateral scales)3. Lake
and Midgley collaborated in their work.
Arius midgleyi
A Salmon or fork-tailed catfish is also named after him Arius midgleyi1.
This is one of the larger Australian species of catfish and along with
other catfish is marketed under the name of "silver cobbler" and "golden
cobbler". It is found in the east coast rivers of southern Queensland
and north and central N.S.W.
Pedigree:
James Midgley ========= m:17 Jan 1861 =========Mary Elizabeth
Brown
b. McCleay River, NSW
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Stephen H.
Edward
A family tree has been constructed by Clyde Love, grandson of Edward.5
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Sources/References:
1. S.H.Midgley & J.H. Lake, Reproduction of Freshwater Ariidae in
Australia, Australian Journal of Science 1970, 32 (11): 441.
2. S.H. Midgley & M.A. Rimmer, Techniques for hatching eggs and rearing
larvae of the Australian mouthbrooding catfishes, Arius graeffei and Arius
leptaspis (Ariidae), Aquaculture, 1985, 44: 333-337
3. Freshwater Fishes of South-Eastern Australia Ed. by Robert McDowall,
Reed, 1996.
4. Freshwater Fishes of Australia, G.R. Allen, Neptune City, 1989.
5. Email from Stephen Midgley,
son of Stephen, Hamar Midgley.
© Copyright Tim Midgley 2000, links revised Jan 2024.
