General Information

COMMON NAMES: Dusky Sleeper, Brown Gudgeon TRADITIONAL NAMES: Kōkopu (RR MT AK), Kōkopu < Patu (MG), Kokopu (AT MK) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Marquesas; n. to s.Japan; s. to New Caledonia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group - widespread and common; N.Group - absent; Freshwater, freshwater (adult), brackish & marine (young) SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Mod. food. KEY FEATURES: A torpedo-shaped fish to 15cmSL. COLOUR top greenish-brown; sides dark brown or greenish-brown with dark spots often forming short stripes. HEAD flat top; mouth large, angled, many rows of teeth, no canines; eyes lateral, not protruding. DORSAL separate fins; clear, w/wo stripes. ANAL opposite 2nd Dorsal, ~similar. TAIL rounded. PECTORALS large, clear.

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
++	++	++	++	++	++	-	-	-

Northern Group: -
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Eleotris fusca (Forster, 1801)
SYNONYMS: Poecilia fusca Forster, 1801; Poecilia fusca Forster in Bloch & Schneider 1801

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Gobioidei; ELEOTRIDAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -. Comment: NBSAP - Takitumu (young of gudgeon, 6 of 7 wild)
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Mod. food.

GENERAL NOTE: Like other small native freshwater fishes, the Dusky Sleeper has an amphidromous life-cycle, involving two migrations: one from freshwater to the ocean (as a newly hatched larvae); and, one from ocean to freshwater (as a juvenile fish). The Dusky Sleeper cannot climb waterfalls and there fore remains in the lower parts of streams.

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens+photo, 11/1994, G.McCormack, to Smithsonian (1 specimen Avana 60m asl, as USNM341654, 5 specimens Avatiu bridge 0m asl. as USNM341653), IDs L.Parenti as Eleotris fusca.

References:
Species No. 963 Munro (1967) Fishes of New Guinea

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM04b, zD05b

Web Resources

• Google
• Google Images
• FishBase