Re: [RML] Iriatherina - Natural habitats

Dave Wilson (rwilson at octa4.net.au)
Tue, 21 Mar 2000 22:45:44 +1030

Michael,
In the NT Threadfin Rainbowfish are found in several locations including
the Liverpool River, Mann River and Arafura Swamp. October 1999 some
ANGFA members were lucky enough to obtain permission from the land owners
to visit a location on the Arafura Swamp. On arrival permission to
conduct a survey of the water was withdrawn but a few visual observations
were made. Below is a copy of the field notes made during the visit.

Date 05.10.99
Arafura Swamp 12.39 deg sth, 135.11 deg east

Plants - Paperbark Trees, River Pandanus, Freshwater Mangrove, A reed
species with serated leaf edge, Ceratophyllum sp., Najas sp., Ludgegia sp.
(similar to L.peploides), Nymphaea violacea

Fish - Archerfish, Penny Fish, Threadfin Rainbowfish, Chequered
Rainbowfish, Flyspeck Hardyhead, Tarpon, Mouth Almighty, Sailfin Glassfish
and the locals had bones (jawbone) of Saratoga in the camp as well as local
residents speaking of Barramundi in the billabong.

Reptiles - Estuarine Crocodile, Northern Longneck Turtle bones in camp

Water - Temp 30 deg C, pH 6.1, GH 54 ppm, KH 18 ppm. The water
quality here is at the worst time of the year. The quality would improve
after the rainy season.

Perhaps Bruce Hansen will have some information about habitats in North
Queensland.

Hope this helps.
Cheers
Dave

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>Hallo again,
>
>I search for further informations and pictures about the natural
>habitats of I. werneri. (Locations, local variants, waterparameters
>like pH, hardness, conductance and temperature, annual cycles, natural
>food and biogenesis)
>
>In an DATZ-Artikle from 1984 I read about the existenz of I.
>jardinensis. Is this still an independent species?
>
>Right now I'm not able to travell to Far North Queensland or the
>north-western parts of Irian Jaya but some day I would like to do/try
>it. (The southernmost point on my path through life - until now - was
>Flores and Sulawesi in 1995) Until then I would like to collect
>informations an impressions on other ways.
>
>Could you help?
>
>Kind regards,
>Michael
>
>
>
>michael.m.haas at netcologne.de