Family KUHLIIDAE

Kuhliidae

© Copyright Ros Poole.

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Introduction

As recognised here the family Kuhliidae contains a single genus and about 15 species. The four Australian species are also widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific.

The flagtails of the genus Kuhlia are mainly tropical marine and estuarine fishes that sometimes penetrate freshwater streams. Species grow to a maximum size of about 50 cm.

Previously, a number of genera were included in this family (Paxton et al. 1989). Munro (1961) assigned them to three separate families: Kuhliidae, Nannopercidae and Nannatherinidae. Some authors have included Nannoperca, Edelia and Nannatherina in a single unit within the Kuhliidae (see Nelson 1976). However, Johnson (1984) recognised the nannopercids (Edelia and Nannoperca) and nannatherinids (Nannatherina) as distinct from kuhliids, placing them in the Percichthyidae. According to Johnson, the latter family is restricted to fresh waters of southern Australia and South America, thus indicative of a possible Gondwanan origin. Randall & Randall (2001) reviewed central Pacific species.

General References

Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. 2006. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [1141]

Johnson, G.D. 1984. Percoidei: development and relationships. pp. 464-498 figs 254-264 in Moser, H.G. et al. (eds). Ontogeny and Systematics of Fishes. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Special Publication 1: 1-760

Munro, I.S.R. 1961. Handbook of Australian fishes. Nos 1–42. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 15–17, 19, 20: 1-172 [published as separates 1956–1961]

Nelson, J.S. 1976. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 416 pp. 45 figs.

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp.

Randall, J.E. & Randall, H.A. 2001. Review of the fishes of the genus Kuhlia (Perciformes: Kuhliidae) of the Central Pacific. Pacific Science 55(3): 227-256

Common Name References

Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp. [243] (Flagtails)

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