Editing Murray cod (section)

==Description==
[[Image:Maccullochella peelii peelii.jpg|thumb|A Murray cod, displaying characteristic mottled green colouration.]]
The Murray cod is a large [[grouper]]-like fish with a deep, elongated body<ref name="CadwalladerBackhouse1983">
{{cite book
  | last = Cadwallader  | first = P. L.
  |author2=Backhouse, G. N.
  | title = A guide to the freshwater fish of Victoria
  | publisher = Government printers
  | year = 1983
  | location = Melbourne
  | isbn = 0-7241-8296-9}}
</ref> that is round in cross section. It has a broad, scooped head, and a large mouth lined with pads of very small, needle-like teeth. The jaws of the Murray cod are equal, or the lower jaw protrudes slightly.<ref name=Allen-et-al2002>
{{cite book
  | last = Allen  | first = G. R. |author2=Midgley, S. H. |author3=Allen M.
  | title = Freshwater Fishes of Australia
  | publisher = Western Australian Museum
  | year = 2002
  | location = Perth
  | pages = 194–195
  | isbn = 0-7307-5486-3}}
</ref><ref name="McDowall1996">
{{cite book
  | editor-last = McDowall
  | editor-first = R.
  |   title = Freshwater Fishes of south-eastern Australia
  | edition = Rev.
  | publisher = Reed Books
  | year = 1996
  | location = Sydney
  | pages = 158–160
  | isbn = 0-7301-0462-1}}
</ref><ref name=nfacod>
{{Cite web  | title = Murray cod  | website = Native Fish Australia  | url = http://www.nativefish.asn.au/cod.html  | access-date = 2007-09-28
  | url-status = dead  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071010105433/http://www.nativefish.asn.au/cod.html  | archive-date = 2007-10-10
  }}</ref>

The spiny [[dorsal fin]] of Murray cod is moderate to low in height and is partially separated by a notch from the high, rounded soft dorsal fin.<ref name=McDowall1996/>  Soft dorsal, anal, and caudal (tail) fins are all large and rounded, and are dusky grey or black with distinct white edges.<ref name="CadwalladerBackhouse1983"/><ref name=nfacod/> The large, rounded pectoral fins are usually similar in colour to the flanks. The pelvic fins are large, angular, and set forward of the pectoral fins. The leading white-coloured rays on the pelvic fins split into two trailing white filaments,<ref name=McDowall1996/> while the pelvic fins themselves are usually a translucent white or cream, tending toward opacity in large fish.

Murray cod are white to cream on their ventral (belly) surfaces.<ref name=McDowall1996/><ref name=nfacod/> Their backs and flanks are usually yellowish-green to green, overlain with heavy darker green, but occasionally brown or black, mottling.<ref name=Allen-et-al2002/><ref name=McDowall1996/><ref name=nfacod/> The effect is a marbled appearance sometimes reminiscent of a leopard's markings. Colouration is related to water clarity;<ref name=nfacod/> colouration is intense in fish from clear water [[habitat]]s. Small to medium-sized Murray cod from clear-water habitats often have striking and very distinct colouration. Very large fish tend towards a speckled grey-green colouration.<ref name=trueman2007>
{{Cite web  | last = Trueman  | first = W. T.  | title = Some Recollections of Native Fish in the Murray-Darling System with Special Reference to the Trout Cod Maccullochella macquariensis  | publisher = Native Fish Australia  | date = 2007  | url = http://www.nativefish.asn.au/userfiles/files/Recollections_compressed.pdf  | access-date = 16 December 2018}}</ref>

===Size===
Murray cod are large fish, with adult fish regularly reaching {{convert|80|–|100|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length. Murray cod are capable of growing well over {{convert|1|m|ft|abbr=on}} in length and the largest on record was over {{convert|1.8|m|ft|abbr=on}} and about {{convert|113|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in weight.<ref name="McDowall1996"/><ref name="Rowland1989"/><ref name="Rowland2005"/>  Large breeding fish are rare in most wild populations today due to overfishing.<ref name=kearney&kildea2001>
{{Cite book
  | last = Kearney  | first = R. E.
  |author2=Kildea, M. A.
  | title = The status of Murray cod in the Murray-Darling Basin.
  | publisher = Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH)
  | year = 2001
  | url = http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/mdb/murray-cod.html
  | access-date = 2007-10-03 }}
</ref><ref name=NSW.Fish.unpubl.data>
{{Citation  | publisher = NSW Fisheries  | title = [unpublished data]}}</ref><ref name=Nicol-et-al2005>
{{cite conference
  | first = S.  | last = Nicol |author2=Todd, C. |author3=Koehn, J. D. |author4=Lieschke, J.
  | title = How can recreational angling regulations meet the multiple objectives for the management of Murray cod populations?
  | book-title = Management of Murray cod in the MDB. Statements, recommendations and supporting papers. Workshop, 3–4 June 2004, Canberra
  | year = 2005}}</ref><ref name=Stuart&Koehn2007>
{{cite journal
  | last = Stuart  | first = I.
  |author2=Koehn, J. D.
  | title =  Big cod do breed
  | journal = Freshwater Fishing Magazine
  | volume = 85
  | pages = 62–64
  | year = 2007 }}
</ref>