Language                                     Name

Kriol:                                              Barramandi

Marra:                                            Mirriji

Ritharrŋu/Wägilak:                      Balin; Mirritji

Ngandi:                                         Ni-mirritjji; Ni-jarrkgarli (juvenile)

Wubuy:                                          Yingguḻbandi

Ngalakgan:                                   Mirritjji; Rdortdo (small); Minyirr (small)

Alawa:                                           Yimayirri; Banggil (small, juvenile); Lambul (juvenile)

Rembarrga:                                  Mirritjji

English:                                         Barramundi

Scientific Name:                          Lates calcarifer

Group name for Fish

Language                                     Name

Kriol:                                             Fish

Marra:                                          Warlanyan

Ritharrŋu/Wägilak:                    Guya

Ngandi:                                       A-jeny

Wubuy:                                       Ngujija

Ngalakgan:                                Jeny

Alawa:                                        Aga / Barlgurr

Rembarrnga:                             Jeny

English:                                     Fish

Body size: 600-120mm

The important fish species , Barramundi, has large scales that comes in silver, yellow, or black.
It has a concave forehead, large jaw and mouth, a single dorsal fin with sharp spines and rounded tail fin. 

Barramundi’s preferred habitats are freshwater rivers, wetlands, mangrove estuaries and coastal waters.
They thrive in turbid waters.

Diet contains molluscs, crustaceans, smaller fishes (even their own juveniles) and zooplanktons.
It is a carnivorous species.

Barramundis were born as males, then the sex of this species changes to female when they mature at the age of 3 to 5 years old.
The young males survives in freshwater then migrates downstream when they become female for spawning.
They begin to spawn at the start of the wet season.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

The shiny Barramundi are a GUYAL TOTEM and the black ones are BURDAL. Ask Elders in the community about the stories for these animals.

Roasted barramundiis are an excellent source of food, larger barramundis can be wrapped in paperbark and roasted in a ground oven to keep it moist.
Lemongrass can be added to the barramundi for a nice flavour.