| Southern saratoga | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Osteoglossiformes |
| Family: | Osteoglossidae |
| Genus: | Scleropages |
| Species: | S. leichardti |
| Binomial name | |
| Scleropages leichardti (Günther, 1864) | |
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Thesouthern saratoga (Scleropages leichardti), also known as thespotted bonytongue,spotted saratoga, or simplysaratoga, is afreshwaterbony fish native toAustralia. It belongs to the subfamilyOsteoglossinae, orarowanas, a primitive group ofteleosts. Like all arowanas, it is acarnivorousmouthbrooder. Along with the gulf saratoga (Scleropages jardinii), the saratoga is also known as theAustralian arowana (mainly by non-Australian aquarists) andbarramundi, although the latter name is nowadays reserved in Australia for the only distantly relatedLates calcarifer.
Thisspecies is found in turbid waters and has a more restricted distribution than the otherScleropages native to Australia,Scleropages jardinii.
Southern saratoga can grow up to 90 centimetres (35 in) 4 kilograms (8.8 lb). At sexual maturity, they are usually 48–49 centimetres (19–19 in) in length. They are primitive, surface-dwelling fish with strongly compressed bodies. They have an almost perfectly flat back, with a dorsal fin set back towards the tail of their long bodies. In colouration, they are dark brown to olive green along the back, with lighter sides and a white belly. The large, bony scales have small orange or red dots. The lower jaw slopes steeply upwards and carries two fleshy barbels on the chin.
Like allScleropages,S. leichardti is a long-bodied fish with large scales, large pectoral fins, and small pairedbarbels on its lower jaw. Each scale on its dark coloured body has a red or pink spot; this feature distinguishes it fromS. jardinii, which has several reddish spots on each scale in a crescent shape.S. leichardti is a slimmer fish than otherScleropages; a 90 centimetres (35 in) fish was weighed at only 4 kilograms (8.8 lb), compared to 17.2 kilograms (38 lb), for aS. jardinii of similar length. The depth of its body is 23–25% of its Standard Length, and it has fewer fin rays thanS. jardinii. It is a popular aquarium fish, although it will eat other fish, shrimp, yabbies etc., that are in the tank.
Southern saratoga are native to theFitzroy River system.[2][page needed] They are commonly found in freshwater impoundments on the Mary, Dawson and Burnett rivers. Stocks have also been introduced to dams on the Brisbane, North Pine and Noosa Rivers. Southern saratoga prefer still waters and slow flowing sections of rivers and can be found sheltering in lily-pads or below fallen timber. They are very aggressive and territorial fish.
This species is not currently listed on anyCITES appendix.[1]. ItsIUCN Red List status is Lower Risk/near threatened (LT/nt).[3] Although it does not occur naturally inIndonesia, it is a protected species in that country.
It has been stocked in a number of dams inQueensland, Australia.
