Estuary perchlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Estuary perchlet |
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Pseudambassis convexus De Vis, 1884 |
The Ambassis marianus, also known as the estuary perchlet or glass perchlet, is a type of fish. It belongs to the Ambassidae family. This fish is special because it looks almost see-through, like glass!
It lives along the coast of eastern Australia. You might also hear it called Ramsay's glassfish or estuary glassfish.
About the Estuary Perchlet
What's in a Name?
A scientist named Albert Günther first described the estuary perchlet in 1880. He found a specimen from the Mary River in Queensland, Australia.
Later, other scientists gave different names to what turned out to be the same fish. For example, William John Macleay called it Pseudoambassis ramsayi. Charles Walter De Vis named it Pseudoambassis convexus. But now, we know all these names refer to the Ambassis marianus. These older names are called "synonyms."
Where Does It Live?
The estuary perchlet lives in the coastal waters of eastern Australia. You can find it from Maryborough in Queensland down to Narooma in New South Wales.
It likes to live in estuaries. These are places where rivers meet the sea. The water there is a mix of fresh and salty water, called "brackish" water. The fish also likes protected tidal streams where mangrove trees grow along the edges.
Eating Habits
Scientists have studied the estuary perchlet to see what it eats. They found that it's very good at eating mosquito larvae. These are the young, wiggly forms of mosquitoes.
In one study, the estuary perchlet was just as good at eating mosquito larvae as the eastern mosquitofish. The eastern mosquitofish is an introduced species that can sometimes cause problems for native fish. This means the estuary perchlet could be helpful in controlling mosquito populations naturally.
