Midgley’s and other grunters from Kakadu

By Greg Wallis (pseudechis) at YouTube: Midgley's Grunters (Pingalla midgleyi) and other grunters from Kakadu

This video shows five types of grunter (Teraponidae) found in the waterways of Kakadu: the Midgley's or Black-blotch Grunter (Pingalla midgleyi), Butler's or Sharp-nose Grunter (Syncomistes butleri), Sooty Grunter (Hephaestus fuliginosus), the Banded, Barred or Black-striped Grunter (Amniataba percoides) and the Spangled Perch (Leiopotherapon unicolor) These fish were filmed in the catchment of the South Alligator River.

The video is interesting particularly in respect to the Midgley's Grunters which show both the normal colouration (unpatterned) and the alarmed or threatened colouration (with darker horizontal lines along the sides of the body. Note that young Butler's Grunters (as seen in this video) also have dark horizontal lines along their sides which are less broken up than those on the Midgely's Grunters. Young Sooty Grunters (very common in this video) have a prominent black blotch on their anal fin like the Midgely's Grunter, however in addition they have dark markings on their dorsal fins which are missing on the Butler's Grunters.

At 01:18 a Northern Snapping Turtle (Elseya dentata) can be seen in the background

For more information see:

Martin F. Gomon, 2011, Midgley's Grunter, Pingalla midgleyi, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 11 Aug 2013, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/...

Martin F. Gomon, 2011, Sooty Grunter, Hephaestus fuliginosus, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 11 Aug 2013, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/...

Martin F. Gomon & Dianne J. Bray, 2011, Sharpnose Grunter, Syncomistes butleri, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 11 Aug 2013, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/...

Vanessa J. Thompson & Dianne J. Bray, 2011, Barred Grunter, Amniataba percoides, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 11 Aug 2013, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/...

Dianne J. Bray & Vanessa J. Thompson, 2011, Spangled Perch, Leiopotherapon unicolor, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 12 Aug 2013, http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/h...

The Fish Atlas of North Australia -- South Alligator River, http://www.jcu.edu.au/archive/actfr_o...