Toxotes lorentzi

Toxotes lorentzi is a tropical freshwater fish found in streams and swamps of the Northern Territory of Australia, Irian Jaya (Indonesia), and Papua New Guinea.[1][3][4] It was first named by Weber in 1910,[4] and is commonly known as the primitive archerfish or Lorentz's archerfish.[5][6]

Toxotes lorentzi

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Toxotidae
Genus: Toxotes
Species:
T. lorentzi
Binomial name
Toxotes lorentzi
Weber, 1910
Synonyms[2]
  • Prototoxotes lorentzi Whitley

Taxonomy and description

Toxotes lorentzi is believed to range in length from 69–150 millimetres (2.7–5.9 in), though a specimens reaching 230 millimetres (9.1 in) in length have been observed.[7] T. lorentzi normally has five dorsal spines and is a silvery tan or brown colour, with a dark pectoral base. While bars and spots are distinct features of other members of the genus, T. lorentzi usually has no markings, or else very faint bars on its sides.[2] T. lorentzi usually has three gill rakers on the lower limb of its first branchial arch, but two and four are also possible. It usually has fewer than 38 scales on its lateral line.[2]

T. lorentzi was described by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber in 1910.[8] It was initially believed that T. lorentzi is the most "primitive" species of archerfish due to its lack of markings and straight dorsal line, a view that Weber endorsed;[2] Gilbert Whitley, who shared this view, reclassified T. lorentzi under the new monotypic genus Prototoxotes which he erected for it in 1950.[9] However, later authors disputed the assertion that T. lorentzi is more primitive and simply consider Prototoxotes a synonym of Toxotes, where T. lorentzi is usually placed.[2]

Behaviour

Like other archerfish, T. lorentzi feeds on terrestrial insects by shooting a stream of water onto low-hanging vegetation at the edges of streams and capturing the insects as they fall into the water.[7] Such insects are believed to make up a significant portion of its diet.[7]

Distribution and habitat

The range of Toxotes lorentzi includes a handful of areas in the Northern Territory of Australia: the Timor Sea drainage at Yam Creek, the Finniss River, and Sawcut Creek, Deaf Adder Creek, and Baroalba Creek, part of the South Alligator River system. In addition, it is also common in the Fly River Delta. Its range also includes the Balima River and the Merauke River of central southern New Guinea.[7]

T. lorentzi generally inhabits swamps and the edges of streams with vegetative cover. It is most commonly observed in surface waters.[2][7]

Because Toxotes lorentzi has wide distribution and no major widespread threats are known, IUCN considers it to be of "Least Concern".[1]

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References
  1. Hammer, M. (2019). "Toxotes lorentzi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T169364A123379678. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T169364A123379678.en. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  2. Allen, Gerald R (31 December 1978). "A REVIEW OF THE ARCHERFISHES (FAMILY TOXOTIDAE)" (PDF). Records of the Western Australian Museum. 6 (4): 355–378. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. Berra, Tim M. (2008). Freshwater fish distribution (Nachdruck. ed.). Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press. pp. 422–423. ISBN 978-0-226-04442-2.
  4. Toxotes lorentzi at www.fishbase.org.
  5. Australian Faunal Directory
  6. Common names for Toxotes lorentzi at www.fishbase.org.
  7. Bishop, KA; Allen, SA; Pollard, DA; Cook, MG. "Ecological studies on the freshwater fishes of the Alligator River Region, Northern Territory: Autecology" (PDF). Environment Australia. Supervising Scientist. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  8. Weber, Max. "Neue Fische aus Niederländisch Süd-Neu-Guinea". Notes from the Leyden Museum. 32: 225–240.
  9. Whitley, Gilbert P. (27 January 1950). "Studies in ichthyology. No. 14". Records of the Australian Museum. 22 (3): 234–245. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.22.1950.604.
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