Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Murray hardyhead (Craterocephalus fluviatilis), recorded as Critically Endangered
Murray hardyhead (Craterocephalus fluviatilis). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Murray hardyhead

Craterocephalus fluviatilis

The Murray hardyhead is a fish in the family Atherinidae endemic to inland parts of southeastern Australia.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Craterocephalus fluviatilis
Taxonomy
Atheriniformes · Atherinidae · Craterocephalus

The ray-finned fish

Murray hardyhead is a ray-finned fish in the family Atherinidae (order Atheriniformes) — Craterocephalus fluviatilis.

Range and habitat

The Murray hardyhead is a fish in the family Atherinidae endemic to inland parts of southeastern Australia. It was first proposed as a distinct species by Allan Riverstone McCulloch in 1912. Even so, throughout much of the 20th century, it was lumped with the Lake Eyre hardyhead under the scientific name Craterocephalus eyresii.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet

The fish is an omnivore, feeding on small crustaceans, aquatic insects and algae.

In crisis

Even so, they have suffered a serious population decline and now seem to be limited to a few sites, mainly in northern Victoria. The main threat to remaining populations is increasing salinity and lack of water. Murray hardyheads are now listed as an endangered species in NSW and threatened in Victoria.

Murray hardyhead is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Murray hardyhead, Wikidata item Q5474081. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Also in this catalog

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Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Murray hardyhead?
Murray hardyhead is a ray-finned fish in the family Atherinidae (order Atheriniformes) — Craterocephalus fluviatilis.
What is the conservation status of Murray hardyhead?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Craterocephalus fluviatilis. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Murray hardyhead live?
Compared to its closest relatives in the Lake Eyre hardyhead species complex, that inhabit remote desert rivers, the Murray hardyhead is found in more easily-accessible habitat.
Why is Murray hardyhead in crisis?
The main threat to remaining populations is increasing salinity and lack of water.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Craterocephalus fluviatilis?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Murray hardyhead a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.