Nightfish

The nightfish has an oblong and compressed body with a large, oblique mouth which has a slightly protruding lower jaw and which reached beyond the rear edge of the pupil. Both jaws and the roof of the mouth have bands of villiform teeth. It has an incomplete lateral line which has 43-47 tubed scales. There are large obvious open pores around each eye and along the upper part of head and along the jaws. The gill cover ends in a double spine. The dorsal fin contains 7 or 8 spines, spines 3 and 4 being the longest, and 16-17 soft rays, the spiny and soft-rated parts separated by a deep notch. The anal fin has 3 spines and 11-12 soft rays. The anal and caudal fins are rounded. It is normally deep olive purple to black or dark-brown but can be light-brown with a dark brown mottling when living in lighter environments. The maximum recorded standard length is 15 centimetres (5.9 in), although most fish are around 9 centimetres (3.5 in).

The nightfish is endemic to the coastal wetlands of Southwest Australia. It is common and is found between the Hill River, near Jurien Bay and the Kalgan River near Albany.