Eastern School Whiting, Sillago flindersi McKay 1985


Other Names: Flinders' Sillago, Red Spot Whiting, School Whiting, Silver Whiting, Spotted Whiting, Transparent Whiting

Eastern School Whiting, Sillago flindersi. Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial

Summary:
A sandy-brown to pinkish whiting, with a series of oblique rusty-red to orange-brown bands along the back and upper side, an indistinct silver midlateral stripe bordered above by small rusty-red blotches. The species lacks a dark spot at the pectoral-fin base.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2022, Sillago flindersi in Fishes of Australia, accessed 19 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3701

Eastern School Whiting, Sillago flindersi McKay 1985

More Info


Distribution

Southern Queensland to the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, and eastern Tasmania. Inhabits coastal lakes, estuaries, and outer reefs at depths to 170 m. Juveniles often occur over deeper muddy and sandy habitats in bays.

Features

Dorsal fin XI; I, 16-18; Anal fin II, 18-20;  Caudal fin 17; Pectoral fin 15-16; Pelvic fin I, 5 Lateral line scales 65-69.

Feeding

Feeds mostly on crustaceans and polychaete worms.

Fisheries

This excellent eating fish is commercially important in south-eastern Australia.

Etymology

The species is named in honour of Lieutenant Matthew Flinders 1774-1814 who circumnavigated Australia. 

Species Citation

Sillago (Parasillago) bassensis flindersi McKay 1985, Mem. Qld Mus. 22(1): 29, figs 9I-L, 14K, 15. Type locality: Wallis Lake, NSW. 

Author

Bray, D.J. 2022

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Eastern School Whiting, Sillago flindersi McKay 1985

References


Burchmore, J.J., Pollard, D., Middleton, M.J., Bell, J.D. & Pease, B.C. 1988. Biology of four species of whiting (Pisces: Sillaginidae) in Botany Bay, New South Wales. Marine and Freshwater Research 39. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF9880709

Dixon, P.I., Crozier, R.H., Black, M. & Church, A. 1987. Stock identification and discrimination of commercially important whitings in Australian waters using genetic criteria (FIRTA 83/16). Centre for Marine Science, University of New South Wales. 69 pp. 

Edgar, G.J. 2008. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Sydney : Reed New Holland 2nd edn, 624 pp. 

Gomon, M.F. 2008. Families Epigonidae, Howellidae and Sillaginidae. pp. 561-569 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. 

Gray C.A., Barnes L.M., van der Meulen D.E., Kendall B.W., Ochwada-Doyle F.A. & Robbins W.D. 2014. Depth interactions and reproductive ecology of sympatric Sillaginidae: Sillago robusta and S. flindersiiAquatic Biology 21: 127-142 https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00578

Gray, C.A., Barnes, L.M., Ochwada-doyle, F., van der Meulen, D.E., Kendall, B.W. & Robbins, W.D. 2014. Age, growth and demographic characteristics of Sillago flindersi exploited in a multi-species trawl fishery. Fisheries Science 80(5): 915-924. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12562-014-0793-z

Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp. 

Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3) 

Kaga, T. 2013. Phylogenetic systematics of the family Sillaginidae (Percomorpha: order Perciformes). Zootaxa 3642(1): 1-105.

Kailola, P.J., Williams, M.J., Stewart, P.C., Reichelt, R.E., McNee, A. & Grieve, C. 1993. Australian Fisheries Resources. Canberra : Bureau of Resource Sciences and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation 422 pp. 

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of Southeastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.

McKay, R.J. 1985. A revision of the fishes of the family Sillaginidae. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 22(1): 1-73 figs 1-18 See ref at BHL

McKay, R.J. 1992. FAO Species Catalog. Sillaginid fishes of the world (Family Sillaginidae) an annotated and illustrated catalogue of the Sillago, smelt of the Indo-Pacific whiting species. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125 Vol. 14. 1-87 pp. 

Scott, T.D. 1994. Family Sillaginidae. pp. 572-577 figs 507-511 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.

Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (eds) 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 460 pp.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37330014

Depth:1-170 m

Fishing:Commercial/recreational fish

Max Size:33 cm SL

Native:Endemic

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Species Maps

CAAB distribution map