Mogurnda

Mogurnda is a genus with 25 species in this atlas, catalogued in the Gobies & Gudgeons section, recorded from Papua New Guinea, Australia and Indonesia. Adult sizes run from 2 in to 7.5 in. Every species below links to a full researched profile.

Species in atlas
25
Adult sizes
2–7.5 in
IUCN assessed
25 of 25 · 8 threatened
Recorded from
3 countries

About the genus

Mogurnda, the mogurndas or Australian trout gudgeons, are freshwater sleeper gobies in the family Eleotridae, native to Australia, New Guinea, and nearby parts of Indonesia. They are stocky, big-headed ambush predators with a rounded tail and a mottled, camouflaged pattern, sitting motionless on the substrate before lunging at small prey; most guard their eggs on a hard surface after spawning, a trait typical of the family. The atlas covers 25 species, spanning roughly 2–7.5 in, from lowland rivers to isolated desert springs.

Several Mogurnda are prized by native-fish keepers, especially in Australia, for their bold personalities and attractive patterning; the northern trout gudgeon (M. mogurnda) and southern purplespotted gudgeon (M. adspersa) are the most familiar in the hobby. But the genus carries a heavier conservation burden than most: the atlas's tally includes several species ranked endangered or critically endangered. Many of the most threatened, such as the Dalhousie mogurnda (M. thermophila) and Flinders Ranges gudgeon (M. clivicola), are relict populations confined to a single isolated spring or short desert watercourse, leaving them acutely vulnerable to any change in water level or quality.

IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered · 5 Endangered · 3 Near Threatened · 2 Least Concern · 3 Not Evaluated · 12

The 25 species

Every Mogurnda recorded in this atlas. Each card links to a full researched profile — distribution, water parameters, and aquarium care, cited to primary sources.

(Castelnau, 1878)

Southern purplespotted gudgeon, Spangled sleeper

3 in SL · NE

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

2 in SL · NE

(Ogilby, 1898)

Goldfields gudgeon, Golden-spotted sleeper

3 in SL · NE

Allen, 1996

Banded mogurnda, Banded gudgeon

3 in TL · NE

Larson & Hoese, 1996

Flinders Ranges gudgeon

6 in TL · EN

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

Black mogurnda

4.5 in SL · CR

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

4.5 in SL · NE

Allen, 1991

Lake Kutubu mogurnda

3.5 in TL · NE

(Stirling & Zietz, 1893)

Desert gudgeon

5 in SL · NT

Allen & Hoese, 1991

Kokoda mogurnda

3.5 in SL · EN

Jenkins, Buston & Allen, 2000

3 in SL · CR

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

Large mogurnda

7.5 in SL · NT

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

2.5 in SL · NE

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

4 in SL · CR

(Richardson, 1844)

Northern trout gudgeon, Australian gudgeon, Australian sleeper

2 in SL · NE

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

2.5 in SL · NE

Allen & Hoese, 1991

Kimberley Mogurnda, False-spotted Gudgeon

3 in SL · LC

(Macleay, 1883)

Eastern mogurnda, Eastern purple-spotted gudgeon

4.5 in SL · EN

(Günther, 1875)

Spotted mogurnda, Spotted purple-spotted gudgeon

4.5 in TL · NE

Horsthemke & Staeck, 1990

Beautiful mogurnda, Moresby mogurnda

3 in SL · LC

Allen & Hoese, 1991

Filamentous gudgeon

5 in SL · NE

Pusey, Larson & Kennard, 2004

Dalhousie mogurnda, Thermal gudgeon

2 in SL · NE

(Macleay, 1888)

Variegated gudgeon

5 in SL · CR

Allen & Hoese, 1986

Stripe-faced gudgeon

5 in SL · CR

Allen & Renyaan, 1996

2.5 in SL · LC

Explore further

How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Genus Mogurnda. Aquarist Atlas. https://www.aquaristatlas.com/mogurnda/

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