Scientific name: nannoperca oxleyana
Status
- National: Endangered (EPBCA 1999)
- Queensland: Vulnerable (NCA 1992)
What does it look like?
The Oxleyan pygmy perch is a small fish measuring no longer than 60mm. This species has a moderately compressed, scale-covered body with tiny projections at the edge and without a lateral line. The mouth is relatively small and the body colour is light brown to olive – darker on the back. The sides are paler and mottled, with three to four patchy dark brown bars extending from head to tail.
Where is it found?
The Oxleyan pygmy perch typically lives in shallow, swampy habitats in acidic freshwater lakes and swamps along sandy coastal lowlands. This species has a very restricted, fragmented distribution along approximately 534 km of coastline extending from Coongul Creek on Fraser Island, QLD south to the Myall River catchment in NSW.
What is threatening them?
- Habitat degradation
- Disruption to fish passage
- Human activities
- Fire management activities
- Invasive species
- Aquarium collecting
- Human developments.
Conservation
The Oxleyan pygmy perch is protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is an offence to hurt or interfere with the Oxleyan pygmy perch in any other way than when accepted by the respective Acts.
Redland City Council manages environmental pests throughout the Redlands to minimise their impact on native ecosystems and animals such as the Oxleyan pygmy perch.
Did you know...?
This species has an opportunistic life strategy – a high growth rate, early maturity at a small size, high reproductive output and a high mortality rate. As a result, the Oxleyan pygmy perch's population size is more influenced by environmental conditions rather than demographic forces.
Report your sighting
If you have seen or suspect you have seen a oxleyan pygmy perch, please report it to Atlas of Living Australia.