Southern saratoga: Difference between revisions

The '''southern saratoga''' ('''''Scleropages leichardti'''''), also known as the '''spotted bonytongue''', '''spotted saratoga''', or simply '''saratoga''', is a [[freshwater]] [[bony fish]] native to [[Australia]]. It belongs to the subfamily [[Osteoglossinae]], or [[arowana]]s, a primitive group of [[teleost]]s. Like all arowanas, it is a [[carnivorous]] [[mouthbrooder]]. Along with the gulf saratoga (''[[Scleropages jardinii]]''), the saratoga is also known as the '''Australian arowana''' (mainly by non-Australian aquarists) and '''barramundi''', although the latter name is nowadays reserved in Australia for the unrelated ''[[Lates calcarifer]]''.

Southern saratoga can grow up to {{convert|90 |cm|in}} ({{convert|4 |kg)|lb}}. At sexual maturity, they are usually {{convert|48–49 |cm|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. TheyIn 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 all ''Scleropages'', ''S. leichardti'' is a long-bodied fish with large scales, large pectoral fins, and small paired [[Barbel (anatomy)|barbel]]s on its lower jaw. Each scale on its dark coloredcoloured body has a red or pink spot; this feature distinguishes it from ''S. jardinii'', which has several reddish spots on each scale in a crescent shape. ''S. leichardti'' is a slimmer fish than other ''Scleropages''; a {{convert|90 |cm (35 |in.)}} fish was weighed at only {{convert|4 |kg (8.8 |lbs.)}}, compared to {{convert|17.2 |kg (38 |lb.)}}, for a ''S. jardinii'' of similar length. The depth of its body is 23-2523–25% of its Standard Length, and it has fewer fin rays than ''S. 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 the [[Fitzroy River (Queensland)|Fitzroy River]] system.<ref>Hollaway, M. and Hamlyn, A. (2001). ''Freshwater Fishing in Queensland: aA guide to stocked waters''. Second edition. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane. {{isbn|0734501463}}</ref>{{page number needed|date=January 2024}} 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.

It has been stocked in a number of dams in [[Queensland, Australia]].