Australian bass
| Australian bass | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Centrarchiformes |
| Genus: | Percalates |
| Species: | P. novemaculeatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Percalates novemaculeatus (Steindachner, 1866)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Australian bass (Percalates novemaculeatus) is a small-to-medium-sized species of primarily freshwater (but estuarine spawning) ray-finned fish found in coastal rivers and streams along the east coast of Australia. A member of the genus Percalates from the order Centrarchiformes, the Australian bass is an important member of the native fish assemblages found in east coast river systems. It is a native predatory fish and an extremely popular game fish species among anglers. The species was simply called perch in most coastal rivers where it was caught until the 1960s, when the name "Australian bass" started to gain popularity.