- Classification
- ACTINOPTERYGII
- PERCIFORMES
- SILLAGINIDAE
- Sillago
- schomburgkii
Yellowfin Whiting, Sillago schomburgkii Peters 1864

Yellowfin Whiting, Sillago schomburgkii, at Haycock Point, Carrickalinga, South Australia, April 2010. Source: David Muirhead / iNaturalist.org. License: CC By Attribution-NonCommercial
Yellowfin Whiting, Sillago schomburgkii Peters 1864
More Info
Distribution |
Gulf St Vincent, South Australia, to Port Hedland, Western Australia. Inhabits inshore sand banks, bars, spits and seagrass beds, sometimes congregating in sandy hollows, and moving over sand flats to feed at high tide. |
Fisheries |
A popular recreational and commercial fish. |
Similar Species |
The similar Sand Whiting, Sillago ciliata, has a dark blotch on the pectoral-fin base, especially in juveniles. |
Species Citation |
Sillago schomburgkii Peters 1864, Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1864: 391. Type locality: Adelaide, South Australia. |
Author |
Bray, D.J. 2020 |
Resources |
Yellowfin Whiting, Sillago schomburgkii Peters 1864
References
Blaber, S.J.M., Young, J.W. & Dunning, M.C. 1985. Community structure and zoogeographic affinities of the coastal fishes of the Dampier region of north-western Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36: 247-266.
Bruce, B.D. 1995. Larval development of King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata, school whiting, Sillago bassensis, and yellow fin whiting, Sillago schomburgkii (Percoidei: Sillaginidae), from South Australian waters. Fishery Bulletin 93: 27-43.
Castelnau, F.L. de 1873. Contribution to the ichthyology of Australia. 8. Fishes of Western Australia. Proceedings of the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria 2: 123-149
Connolly, R.M., Hindell, J.S. & Gorman, D. 2005. Seagrass and epiphytic algae support nutrition of a fisheries species, Sillago schomburgkii, in adjacent intertidal habitats. Marine Ecology Progress Series 286: 69–76.
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.
Hoschke, A., Whisson, G. & Moore, G.I. 2019. Complete list of fishes from Rottnest Island. pp. 150-161 in Whisson, G. & Hoschke, A. (eds) The Rottnest Island fish book. 2nd ed. Perth : Aqua Research and Monitoring Services.
Hourston, M., Platell, M.E., Valesini, E.J. & Potter, I.C. 2004. Factors influencing the diets of four mrophologically divergent fish species in nearshore marine waters. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Koingdm 84(4): 805-817.
Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp.
Hyndes, G.A., Platell, M.E. & Potter, I.C. 1997. Relationships between diet and body size, mouth morphology, habitat and movements of six sillaginid species in coastal waters: implications for resource partitioning. Marine Biology 128(4): 585-598 https://doi.org/10.1007/s002270050125 Abstract
Hyndes, G.A. & Potter, I.C. 1997. Age, growth and reproduction of Sillago schomburgkii in south-western Australian, nearshore waters and comparisons of life history styles of a suite of Sillago species. Environmental Biology of Fishes 49(4): 435-447. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007357410143
Hyndes, G.A., Potter, I.C & Lenanton, R.C.J. 1996. Habitat partitioning by whiting species (Sillaginidae) in coastal waters. Environmental Biology of Fishes 45: 21–40.
Jones, G.K. 1981. Yellowfin whiting (Sillago schomburgkii) studies in South Australian waters. SAFIC 5(4): 20-23.
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.
Lenanton, R.C.J. 1982. Alternative non-estuarine nursery habitats for some commercially and recreationally important fish species of south-western Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 33(5): 881-900.
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
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.
Neira, F.J., Miskiewicz, A.G. & Trnski, T. 1998. Larvae of temperate Australian fishes: laboratory guide for larval fish identification. Nedlands, Western Australia : University of Western Australia press 474 pp.
Peters, W.C.H. 1864. Über einige neue Säugethiere, Amphibien und Fische. Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1864: 381-399.
Potter, I.C., Chalmer, C.N., Tiivel, D.J., Steckis, R.A., Platell, M.E. & Lenanton, R.C.J. 2000. The fish fauna and finfish fishery of the Leschenault Estuary in south-western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 83: 481-501
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
Smallwood, C.B., Hesp, S.A. & Beckley, L.E. 2013. Biology, stock status and management summaries for selected fish species in south-western Australia. Fisheries Research Report No. 242. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia. 180 pp.
Thompson, J.M. 1957. The size at maturity and spawning times of some Western Australian estuarine fishes. Fisheries Bulletin. Western Australia Fisheries Department, 8 pp.