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Name Summary Subject categories
Bullrout, Notesthes robusta. © Queensland Museum, Bruce Cowell. Bullrout
Bullrout are responsible for most fish stings that occur in upper tidal reaches and freshwaters of New South Wales and Queensland. The venomous fin spines can cause painful wounds. They are an ambush predator of small fish and crustaceans, hiding amongst snags and aquatic plants.
Fish
Porcupinefish, Diodon sp., swimbladder. © Queensland Museum, Jeff Wright. Porcupinefish Swimbladder
These strange leathery objects found occasionally on beaches are special internal organs of the porcupinefish. They are found throughout the Indo-west Pacific region, with ten species known from Queensland.
Fish
Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Odontodactylus scyllarus. © Queensland Museum, Gary Cranitch. Peacock Mantis Shrimp
The Peacock Mantis Shrimp is an active hunter that seeks and eats other crustaceans, small fish and molluscs. It is found across northern Australia and widespread in the Indo-West Pacific region.
Crustaceans
Giant Squid, Architeuthis dux. © Queensland Museum, John Healy. Giant Squid
Giant Squid are among the world's largest molluscs (the longest recorded being approximately 13 metres), and heaviest invertebrates (up to half a tonne). Only the Colossal Squid is thought to be larger (14 metres).
Molluscs
Cephalopods
Brown Tiger Prawn, *Penaeus esculentus*. © Queensland Museum, Bruce Cowell. Brown Tiger Prawn
The Brown Tiger Prawn is a large, banded prawn growing to 235 mm in length. It occurs on mud or sandy mud, and is found in northern Australia from Shark Bay, WA, to central NSW.
Crustaceans
Estuarine Stonefish, Synanceia horrida. © Queensland Museum. Estuarine Stonefish
Stonefish are the most venomous of all fishes. They are found throughout shallow coastal waters of the northern half of Australia. Stonefish are extremely well camouflaged and often almost indistinguishable from their natural surrounds. The venomous dorsal fin spines can cause extremely painful wounds and other serious medical issues.
Fish
Banded Coral Shrimp, *Stenopus hispidus*. © Queensland Museum, Marissa McNamara. Cleaner Shrimps & allies
This interesting group of small benthic decapod crustaceans belongs to the Infraorder Stenopodidea. It includes only six species in two families in Australian waters, with the Banded Coral Shrimp always the most common and conspicuous.
Crustaceans
Textile Cone, Conus textile. © Queensland Museum, Jeff Wright. Textile Cone
The Textile Cone shell has an irregular shingle-like pattern. It feeds on other molluscs which it immobilises by injecting a powerful venom with a harpoon-like tooth. The species is found in tropical waters of the Indo-west Pacific.
Molluscs
Gastropods
Marine snails
Kuiter's Nudibranch, *Chromodoris kuiteri*. © Queensland Museum, Jeff Wright. Kuiter's Nudibranch
Kuiter's Nudibranch is commonly 40-60 mm when extended although some specimens may grow to 75 mm. The species has a strong warning colour pattern. It is found throughout northern Australia and the south-western Pacific.
Molluscs
Gastropods
Nudibranchs
Pustulose Phyllidiid, *Phyllidiella pustulosa*. © Queensland Museum, Gary Cranitch. Pustulose Phyllidiid
The Pustulose Phyllidiid is a nudibranch that lives on coral substrates in the lower intertidal zone and down to about 30 m depth, where it may be seen crawling during the day. It is one of the most common nudibranchs in the tropical Indo-west Pacific.
Molluscs
Gastropods
Nudibranchs
Freshwater Crocodile, Crocodylus johnstoni. © Queensland Museum, Gary Cranitch. Freshwater Crocodile
The Freshwater Crocodile is a narrow-snouted species that grows to 3 metres. It occurs in far northern Australia. In Queensland, this species is usually found in western-flowing rivers that drain into the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Reptiles
Crocodiles
The Striped Marshfrog, Limnodynastes peronii. © Queensland Museum, Jeff Wright. Striped Marshfrog
The Striped Marshfrog is light brown to grey-brown and marked with bold, dark longitudinal stripes. It is widespread in coastal eastern Australia and also occurs in Tasmania.
Frogs
Geography Cone, Conus geographus. © Queensland Museum, Jeff Wright. Geography Cone
The Geography Cone is a large species of cone snail with the shell reaching up to about 120 mm long. Geography Cones live on sand and rubble, under rocks and coral in the intertidal and subtidal zones. They are found from north WA to southern Queensland, and are widely distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific.
Molluscs
Gastropods
Marine snails
Day Octopus, Octopus cyanea. © Queensland Museum, Gary Cranitch. Cephalopods
This entirely marine class includes such familiar animals as the octopus, cuttlefish and squid and also the so-called ‘living-fossil’ Nautilus and the extinct ammonites. As the name suggests the limbs are closely associated with the head, and in most cephalopods these limbs (arms and tentacles) possess numerous suckers which help to secure prey. Many species of squid, octopus and cuttlefish are of major commercial importance (primarily as seafood).
Molluscs
Cephalopods
Hairy Mussel, Trichomya hirsuta. © Queensland Museum, Gary Cranitch. Hairy Mussel
The Hairy Mussel occurs abundantly along the eastern and southern coasts of Australia as far south as Tasmania, particularly in estuarine localities. Shells of living animals are covered in short bristles. They occur in eastern and southern Australia.
Molluscs
Bivalves
Diamondback Squid, *Thysanoteuthis rhombus*. © Queensland Museum, John Healy. Diamondback Squid
The Diamondback Squid is instantly recognisable by its large size, bright red colouration and distinctive, angular shape (echoed in the specific name 'rhombus'). The main body can reach 1 metre and with tentacle length combined, the entire animal may be up to 2 metres in overall length. It is found Australia-wide but is sporadic.
Molluscs
Cephalopods
Pygmy Wisp, *Agriocnemis pygmaea*, male. © Chris Burwell. Pygmy Wisp
The Pygmy Wisp is a tiny damselfly that inhabits ponds, swamps and fringes of dams and lakes with plentiful aquatic vegetation. Mature males are dark brown or black with greenish markings and a reddish tip to the abdomen. Young females are mostly red and become black and green as they age.
Insects
Damselflies
Saltwater Crocodile, Crocodylus porosus. © Queensland Museum, Gary Cranitch. Saltwater Crocodile
The Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile is a broad-snouted species that grows to a large size. It occurs in the islands of the western Pacific, India, south-east Asia, New Guinea and northern Australia. In Queensland, Saltwater Crocodiles may be encountered in the sea or any coastal waterway from Rockhampton north.
Reptiles
Crocodiles
Red-rumped Wisp, *Agriocnemis rubricauda*, female. © Chris Burwell. Red-rumped Wisp
The Red-rumped Wisp is a tiny damselfly that inhabits a variety of standing water habitats, including small, well-vegetated ponds, dams and swamps. It is very similar to the Pgymy Wisp but males have more of the tip of the abdomen reddish. However, only female Red-rumped Wisps are known from south-east Queensland.
Insects
Damselflies
Keelback Snake, Tropidonophis mairii. © Jeff Wright, Queensland Museum. Freshwater Snake (Keelback Snake)
The Freshwater Snake is olive brown with irregular dark cross-bands. This species grows to 75 cm. It is found in coastal areas of northern Australia from northern New South Wales to the Kimberley, Western Australia.
Reptiles
Snakes
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