Crimsontip Gudgeon, Butis butis (Hamilton, 1822)

Scientific name: Butis butis
Alternative name/s:
Crimson-tipped Flathead-gudgeon, Crimson-tipped Gudgeon, Flat-head Gudgeon
Butis butis I.41858-006 pic 2 Click to enlarge image
A Crimsontip Gudgeon caught at a depth of 6 m, Iluka Marina, Clarence River, New South Wales, 6 December 2002. The fish is registered in the Australian Museum Ichthyology Collection (AMS I.41858-018). Image: Mark McGrouther
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Butis
    Species
    butis
    Family
    Eleotridae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    13 cm

Introduction

The Crimsontip Gudgeon can be distinguished from other freshwater gudgeons by its shovel-like snout.

Identification

The Crimsontip Gudgeon is a medium-sized gudgeon with a long 'shovel-like' snout. Its colour is variable but it is often mottled brown with red spots on the sides and median fins.

In his 2011 paper (see below) Research Associate, Dr Anthony Gill stated that "butis (buti-singular) is a decorative, circular design woven, embroidered or printed on cloth, and is particularly common in sari fabric."

Habitat

Lower reaches of streams and estuaries usually on muddy bottoms.

Distribution

It occurs widely throughout the Indo-west Pacific. In Australia it is known from north-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to northern New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Feeding and diet

Crimsontip Gudgeons often use floating objects as cover from which they dart out to feed. Watch this behaviour in the video below.

References

  1. Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & M. Allen. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 394.
  2. Gill, A.C. & D.F. Hoese. 2011. On the formation of family-group names and gender of genera based on the stem—butis (Teleostei: Perciformes: Gobioidei). Zootaxa 2741: 66–68.
  3. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.