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Comparisons between the ichthyofaunas of a temperate lagoonal-like estuary and the embayment into which that estuary discharges
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Comparisons between the ichthyofaunas of a temperate lagoonal-like estuary and the embayment into which that estuary discharges

I.C. Potter, D. Tiivel, F.J. Valesini and G.A. Hyndes
International Journal of Salt Lake Research, Vol.5(4), pp.337-358
1996
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01995386
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Abstract

Leschenault Estuary consists of a large lagoonal-like water body, which opens into Koombana Bay through a short and deep entrance channel at its southern end. Despite the maintenance of high salinities in Leschenault Estuary and a close proximity to Koombana Bay, the estuary contained a far greater density and markedly different species composition of fish than that found in that marine embayment. This difference reflected in part, the high abundance in Leschenault Estuary of some species whose entire life cycle is confined to estuaries, e.g. the atherinids Atherinosoma elongata and Leptatherina wallacei and the gobies Pseudogobius olorum and Afurcagobius suppositus, and the fact that the juveniles of several marine species, e.g. Hyperlophus vittatus, Sillaginodes punctata, Mugil cephalus and Gymnapistes marmoratus were also largely or entirely restricted to the estuary. In contrast, Lesueurina platycephala, which was by far the most abundant species in Koombana Bay, was absent in the estuary. Furthermore, the relatively protected region of Koombana Bay contained a greater density and different composition of fish than the more exposed region of this embayment. This reflected the greater use that was made of the protected region as a nursery area by certain marine species, e.g. Aldrichetta forsteri and Sillago bassensis.

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