Faunal assemblages of some saline lakes near Marchagee, Western Australia

Abstract

Five saline lakes near Marchagee. with salinities ranging from 10-71‰, were sampled every two months between March and September 1979. The lakes contained faunal assemblages of 6-13 invertebrate species; only two species were common to all lakes. Fish (Pseudogobius olorum) were found in one salt lake.

Austrochiltonia subtenuis was recorded at a salinity of 71‰ twice the salinity it was previously thought to tolerate. Pseudogobius olorum was collected at a salinity of 55‰ and is the second species of fish to be collected from highly saline Australian lakes. Mytilocypris mytiloides was collected at a total dissolved solids concentration of 45‰ a much higher level of salinity than it tolerates in eastern Australia. Necterosoma pensillatus was found at a salinity of 10.5‰ the lowest yet recorded for the species.