A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, Crayfish and Mussels of South-Western Australia.

Abstract

MORGAN et al. have filled a significant gap in the library of pictorial guides to the fauna of South- Western Australia with this publication. This pocketsized edition is a must for anyone who has any interest in the natural history of the South West as well as schools, community groups and anyone who wishes to start investigating the fauna of our rivers. Not only will this guide help anyone with identification, but it will alert them to the very existence of so many native species. Perhaps any small fish will no longer be written off as a “mosquito fish” and elicit a more detailed look. It is quite surprising that there are only 11 native species of fish in the whole south-west province but impressive that 9 are endemic – the highest ratio in any part of Australia. The presence of as many crayfish species (11), many of very limited distribution, is also of note. However, it is quite disturbing that 12 (and likely more) introduced fish species are also listed for identification. A further reflection is that only 1 fish and 3 crayfish in the whole of Australia are on the Critically Endangered list under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 – all of these are in the area covered by the guide.