(Southern) Purple-spotted Gudgeon Mogurnda adspersa

The (Southern) Purple-spotted Gudgeon is native to slow-moving or still waters of river systems in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, but is endangered and increasingly rare in its western habitats. An attractive pale blue/grey with a mosaic of crimson-purple spots, it grows to some 15cm long.

Females lay eggs on rocks near vegetation; males guard and fan the eggs until they hatch. Its relative, the Northern Purple-spotted or Northern Trout Gudgeon, M. mogurnda, of northern Australia and New Guinea looks similar, as do other Mogurnda species.