Natural History of Sydney's Marine Fishes: where south meets north

Abstract

Sydney has a speciose but little studied marine ichthyofauna, comprising elements of both tropical and warm/cool temperate origins. Recent surveys suggest that around 600 species have been found in Sydney¿s coastal waters, some of which are tropical visitors or cold-temperate vagrants. Here I briefly survey the diversity of Sydney¿s fish fauna, highlighting key aspects of life history that relate to distribution, and key habitats. Several iconic species are described in more detail, and local and climate change threats are outlined in relation to mitigation opportunities.