Prototroctes maraena (Australian Grayling)
Family: Retropinnidae (Southern Hemisphere smelt and grayling)
Status: Native. Endangered in NSW.
Size: Reach around 20 cm in length, although rare individuals have been recorded up to 33 cm in length.
Description: Bronze brown olive back and silvery ventrally with a small adipose fin on the rear of the back, and a horny sheath around the lower jaw. Adult Australian Grayling inhabit freshwater rivers and streams. During autumn, they undertake large migrations to spawn in the lower reaches of rivers. The newly hatched larvae are swept out to sea and migrate back to estuaries after about 6 months. In past decades it has also been known as the Cucumber Mullet or Cucumber Herring, for its cucumber-like odour.
Location: Coastal drainages but highly restricted by barriers to fish passage. According to ALA, sighting has been recorded near escarpment in CNM region.
Prototroctes maraena is listed in the following regions:
Canberra & Southern Tablelands
No sightings currently exist.