Adamson's grunter

Adamson's grunter (Hephaestus adamsoni) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae which is endemic to Lake Kutubu in the Kikori River system, Papua New Guinea.^[2]

Adamson's grunter
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Centrarchiformes
Family:	Terapontidae
Genus:	Hephaestus
Species:	H. adamsoni
Binomial name
Hephaestus adamsoni (Trewavas, 1940)
Synonyms[2]
Therapon adamsoni Trewavas, 1940

Habitat and biology

Adamson's grunter is numerous along the shores of Lake Kutubu, the juveniles are found in shallow water near the shore and the adults aggregate in large schools in deep water next to rocky cliffs. This species is the main food of the Foi people inhabit the shores of Lake Kutubu. The males fan and gurd the eggs.^[2]

Species description and etymology

Adamson's grunter was first formally described by Ethelwynn Trewavas as Therapon adamsoni in 1940.^[3] The specific name honours the English born Papuan civil servant and officer in the Royal Australian Navy officer Charles Thomas Johnston "Bill" Adamson (1901-1978).^[4]