Home · Clupeidae · Australian freshwater herring
Australian freshwater herring (Potamalosa richmondia) — Clupeidae

Australian freshwater herring

Potamalosa richmondia
Family: Clupeidae

The Australian freshwater herring (Potamalosa richmondia) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Clupeidae that grows up to 32 cm.

Length
32 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Want the complete picture on the Australian freshwater herring?

Get the app

Description

The Australian freshwater herring is a herring relative (Clupeidae) from coastal rivers of eastern Australia. The species grows to about 20 cm and has a slender, laterally compressed, bright-silvery body with a keeled belly and large, easily shed scales. As a social schooling fish it moves between fresh and brackish water and filters zooplankton and small insects from the water. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Australian freshwater herring?

The Australian freshwater herring has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Australian freshwater herring live?

The Australian freshwater herring lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around open water. Oceania: Australia

How big does the Australian freshwater herring get?

The Australian freshwater herring grows to a maximum of about 32 cm. On average the species is around 15 cm.

Is the Australian freshwater herring dangerous to humans?

No, the Australian freshwater herring is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Australian freshwater herring edible?

The Australian freshwater herring is rarely eaten.

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Australian freshwater herring?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Australian freshwater herring is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Australian freshwater herring sourced
Scientific name
Potamalosa richmondia
Family
Clupeidae
Other names
Australian freshwater herring; Freshwater herring; Nepean herring verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
32.0 verified
Average length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Natural range
Oceania: Australia sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
levensduur_max_jaar
11.0 verified
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Can be caught with natural bait or lures, matched to the size and habitat of the species. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Clupeidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Australian freshwater herring?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Australian freshwater herring is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Australian freshwater herring? Get the app