Giant Hardyhead
Sashatherina giganteus
Sashatherina giganteus is a species of freshwater silverside endemic to Lake Lakama in West Papua, Indonesia. It grows to 18.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Order
Atheriniformes
Family
Atherinidae
Genus
Sashatherina
Giant Hardyhead belongs to the family Atherinidae, order Atheriniformes, within the unknown class.
Species Profile
Sashatherina giganteus is a species of freshwater silverside endemic to Lake Lakama in West Papua, Indonesia. It grows to 18.0 cm (7.1 in) in total length. This recently described species is the only known member of its genus.
The Giant Hardyhead faces severe threats primarily from habitat destruction and water quality degradation in its limited freshwater lake systems in Western Australia. Introduced species and altered hydrology from human activities have further compromised the remaining populations of this critically endangered endemic fish.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Giant Hardyhead faces severe threats primarily from habitat destruction and water quality degradation in its limited freshwater lake systems in Western Australia. Introduced species and altered hydrology from human activities have further compromised the remaining populations of this critically endangered endemic fish.
Habitat destruction and modification
Introduced species competition
Limited distribution and small population size
Water quality degradation
Altered hydrology from human activities
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Giant Hardyhead (Sashatherina giganteus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/giant-hardyhead