 |
| A medium-sized Barramundi found patrolling in the shallow waters at Eagle Point. |
Family: Latidae
Species Name: Lates calcarifer
Common Name(s): Barramundi, Asian Sea Bass, Giant Sea Perch
Species Name: Lates calcarifer
Common Name(s): Barramundi, Asian Sea Bass, Giant Sea Perch
Presence in Singapore: Native
Habitat: Varied. Ranges from freshwater rivers to coastal habitats such as lagoons.
Conservation status: Data Deficient (Red Data Book 3), Least Concern (IUCN)
A fish most people should know, be it by name and/or taste. In Singapore, the Barramundi can be found in a variety of habitats with varying salinity such as lagoons, estuaries, freshwater and tidal rivers. The Barramundi is a large, predatory fish that have reached lengths of up to two meters on record. It hunts near the bottom for smaller fishes, crustaceans and molluscs as adults while the juveniles feed on zooplankton. It is a highly recognizable fish with its elongated body and sloping head, usually clad in grey of varying darkness.
Adult Barramundi that usually reside in the upper reaches of freshwater habitats such as rivers migrate down to estuaries to breed. The juveniles then mature in coastal habitats such as mangrove swamps before repeating the cycle. Populations of Barramundi are known to establish in saltwater as well.
Habitat: Varied. Ranges from freshwater rivers to coastal habitats such as lagoons.
Conservation status: Data Deficient (Red Data Book 3), Least Concern (IUCN)
A fish most people should know, be it by name and/or taste. In Singapore, the Barramundi can be found in a variety of habitats with varying salinity such as lagoons, estuaries, freshwater and tidal rivers. The Barramundi is a large, predatory fish that have reached lengths of up to two meters on record. It hunts near the bottom for smaller fishes, crustaceans and molluscs as adults while the juveniles feed on zooplankton. It is a highly recognizable fish with its elongated body and sloping head, usually clad in grey of varying darkness.
Adult Barramundi that usually reside in the upper reaches of freshwater habitats such as rivers migrate down to estuaries to breed. The juveniles then mature in coastal habitats such as mangrove swamps before repeating the cycle. Populations of Barramundi are known to establish in saltwater as well.
The Barramundi is an important food fish world wide and are raised in aquaculture across many countries including Singapore. It is also a popular sport fish due to the fight it's able to give anglers.
References
- FishBase. Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790) – Barramundi. Retrieved from https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Lates-calcarifer.html.
- Lim, K.K.P. & Low, J.K.Y. 1998. A Guide to Common Marine Fishes of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, 163 pp. ISBN 981-00-9904-5.
- National Parks Board (NParks). Marine Fishes. Retrieved from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature/species-list/marine-fishes.
No comments:
Post a Comment