Hephaestus jenkinsi (Whitley, 1945)
Western sooty grunter

Family:  Terapontidae (Grunters or tigerperches)
Max. size:  40 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Oceania: Endemic to Australia.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Adults inhabit still or flowing water of clear or turbid streams. Particularly common in deep rocky pools (Ref. 44894). They occur in lentic and lotic freshwater. Omnivore (Ref. 7300). They consume invertebrates (especially prawns) and small fishes. Adults sometimes develop blubber lips, a condition found in several terapontids. Eggs are guarded and fanned by the male parent (Ref. 205). A good angling and eating species growing to 1.5 kilograms (Ref. 44894).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 February 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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