Leaping Bonito, Cybiosarda elegans (Whitley 1935)
A Leaping Bonito, Cybiosarda elegans. Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial
Large schools of this poorly known bonito follow baitfishes to inshore waters during winter months. Body deep blue above with elongate dark spots, silvery-white below with several dark stripes along lower sides; first dorsal fin tall, black with a white patch at the rear; second dorsal fin yellow, anal fin often yellow.
Leaping Bonito, Cybiosarda elegans (Whitley 1935)
More Info
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Distribution |
Widespread and relatively common around most of Australia except for the south coast; alos in southern Papua New Guinea. Known from Cape Naturaliste (WA) around the tropical north to Gabo Island (VIC). An oceanic epipelagic species, commonly seen during winter when large schools move inshore to feed on bait fish such as anchovies and clupeids. |
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Features |
Meristic features: Dorsal fin XVI-XVIII, 17-19, 8-10 finlets; Anal fin 15-17, 6-7 finlets; Pectoral fin 22-24; Gill rakers (first arch) 2-15.; Upper jaw teeth 13-22; Lower jaw teeth 10-17. Body relatively short, strongly compressed; caudal peduncle with a well developed keel, flanked on each side by a smaller keel. Mouth large, upper jaw extending to hind margin of eye; conical teeth n both jaws. Laminae of olfactory rosette 28 to 33. Swimbladder absent. Pectoral fins short, not reaching to below 10th dorsal fin spine. |
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Size |
To at least 70 cm FL (commonly to 45 cm FL), with a maximum weight of around 5 kg. |
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Colour |
Head deep bluish-grey above, sides yellow; body bluish-grey on the back, pale brownish on the sides, and silvery-white below; back with many small spots around the spinous dorsal-fin and large scattered dark greyish elongated spots elsewhere with three or four horizontal stripes on lowe sides. Spinous dorsal-fin black anteriorly, white at the posterior spines; other fins and finlets yellowish. |
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Feeding |
The species is often seen near schools of baitfish including anchovies and clupeids. |
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Biology |
A poorly known species with little known of it's biology and ecology. |
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Fisheries |
Although not directly targeted, this species may be taken as bycatch and in small coastal fisheries. Leaping Bonito are taken as bait by sports fishers and for commercial snapper fisheries. |
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Conservation |
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Least Concern (LC) |
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Remarks |
Although little is known about this Bonito species, it appears to undertake a southerly migration along the east-coast each Austral summer, ranging into southern NSW and northern Victorian waters. For a few weeks each year, Leaping Bonito can be seen in shallow bays and around rocky reefs as they migrate down the NSW coast. |
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Similar Species |
The Leaping Bonito is best separated from other bonito species by the large, black, first dorsal fin and stripes along the belly. |
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Species Citation |
Scomberomorus (Cybiosarda) elegans Whitley, 1935, Rec. Aust. Mus. 19(4): 236, off Goat Island, Moreton Bay, QLD. |
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Author |
Dianne J. Bray & Sascha Schultz |
Leaping Bonito, Cybiosarda elegans (Whitley 1935)
References
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Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls.
Collette, B.B. 2001. Scombridae. pp. 3721-3756 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). I. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218.
Collette, B.B., Carpenter, K.E., Nelson, R. & Fox, W. 2011. Cybiosarda elegans. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1.
Collette, B.B. & Chao, L.N. 1975. Systematics and morphology of the bonitos (Sarda) and their relatives (Scombridae, Sardini). Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 73(3): 516-625 figs 1-70
Collette, B.B. & Nauen, C.E. 1983. FAO species catalogue. Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of tunas, mackerels, bonitos and related species known to date. Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Vol. 2. Rome : FAO. 137 pp. 81 figs
Fraser-Brunner, A. 1950. The fishes of the family Scombridae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 12 3(7): 131-163 figs 1-35
Grant, E.M. 1987. Fishes of Australia. E.M. Grant PTY Limited, Queensland, Australia.
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Hutchins, J.B. & Thompson, M. 1983. The Marine and Estuarine Fishes of South-western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 103 pp. 345 figs.
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)
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Pepperell, J. 2010. Fishes of the Open Ocean a Natural History & Illustrated Guide. Sydney : University of New South Wales Press Ltd 266 pp.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.
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Russell, B.C. & Houston, W. 1989. Offshore fishes of the Arafura Sea. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 6(1): 69-84
Whitley, G.P. 1935. Studies in Ichthyology No. 9. Rec. Aust. Mus. 19(4): 215-250 figs 1-11 pl. 18. PDF available online
Whitley, G.P. 1936. More ichthyological miscellanea. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 11(1): 23-51 figs 1-6 pl. 4
Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (eds) 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 460 pp.
