Flinders Ranges purple-spotted gudgeon

Description

Mogurnda clivicola,commonly known as the Flinders Ranges mogurnda,Flinders Ranges purple-spotted gudgeon,Barcoo,or Bulloo mogurnda,is a central Australian gudgeon of the family EleotridaeFlinders Ranges mogurndas are medium-sized fish,with a maximum total length around 13 cm.[I] They are dark with a fine mottling of dark grey blotches on the upper side with semi-translucent fins.Usually their body is a paler colour underneath.These fish have a series of burnt orange-coloured stripes running backwards down their cheeks looking like warpaint.Roughly around the lateral line is a display of burnt orange-coloured spots interspersed with paler spots,with a single darker spot on the caudal peduncle.Males develop spectacular spawning colours in summer,namely a more brilliant display of orange spots along the side and to the tail.The anal and spiny and soft dorsal fins are edged with a tiny,iridescent,blue-white stripe.These stripes are somewhat subtle on most of the fins,but are prominent and eye-catching on the spiny dorsal fin.The males also develop a large amount of fat on the top of their heads,giving them a bulbous appearanceThese fish have,in recent times been victims of a dramatic,piebald discolouration of unknown origin.