| Barcoo grunter | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Terapontidae |
| Genus: | Scortum |
| Species: | Scortum barcoo |
| Binomial name | |
| Scortum barcoo (McCulloch & Waite, 1917) |
|
The Barcoo grunter or jade perch, Scortum barcoo, is a species of fish in the Terapontidae family, that is found in major rivers in Australia. Jade perch are currently bred for aquarium trade and for human consumption. They are especially prized for their high Omega-3 fatty acid content, reported to be 3.9 g per 100 g portion (with a very low ω-6:ω-3 ratio of 1:6), higher than any other fish.[1]
Contents |
A jade perch is a heavily built fish with a small head. The fish usually has a brownish-black body with darker fins. One distinguishing fact about the fish is that the anal fin has eight rays. During its lifetime the fish can grow to be about 35 cm. [2] They feed on fishes, crustaceans, insects and molluscs,but they also feed on plants making them omnivorous. They are also thought to breed during floods. A jade perch is harmless to humans.[3]
This fish lives within many freshwater sources throughout Australia. It ranges from the Gilbert River and its tributaries in northern Queensland, to the Cooper Creek and Lake Eyre drainage of central Australia, and through the Barkley Basin, Limmen Bight, Roper River and Macarthur regions of the Northern Territory.[2] It lives in waters that are 10°C to 30°C, but it can live with waters up to 40°C.[3]
NOT FINAL: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/pubs/translocated-fish-overview.pdf