Blue Sprat, Spratelloides robustus Ogilby 1897


Other Names: Blue Sardine, Bluebait, Fringe-scale Round Herring, Sprat
Summary:
A common sprat in southern Australia, with the upper third of head and body dark blue, the lower two-thirds silvery, and a pair of horizontal dark blue streaks near the middle of the caudal fin. The scales before the dorsal fin and those along the ventral surface do not form a keel.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2021, Spratelloides robustus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 30 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3989

Blue Sprat, Spratelloides robustus Ogilby 1897

More Info


Distribution

Moreton Bay, Queensland, around southern Australia, to the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia, including around Tasmania.
Forms large schools in shallow bays, inlets, estuaries and nearshore reefs along the coast. This species is encountered more frequently in shallow inshore waters along the southern coast than any other member of the family Clupeidae.

Features

Dorsal fin 11-13; Anal fin 9-12; Caudal fin 17: Pectoral fin 13; Pelvic fin 8. 
Body shallow (15-16% SL), elongate, thick, sides flattened, gradually tapering to moderately slender caudal peduncle.  Head small (23-24% SL); eyes of moderate size (approx. 26% HL), very little transparent adipose tissue in front of eye; mouth small (upper jaw length 34-35% HL), oblique, maxillae of moderate breadth, reaching below front edge of eye; teeth absent in jaws. 
Scales moderately large, cycloid, weakly attached, covering body but absent from head, 38-45 oblique rows on sides, those on back and underside not compressed into keel, lateral line absent. 
Dorsal fin with short base located centrally on back, anterior rays much longer than posterior rays; anal fin of moderate height, with short base, located near caudal fin; caudal fin deeply forked. Pectoral and ventral fins small, each with prominent axillary tissue;  pectorals on ventral profile of body just behind head; pelvic fins arising below centre of dorsal fin. 

Biology

A demersal spawner with a spawning season between October and February.

Fisheries

Targeted as baitfish in small commercial shore-based fisheries - usually only when schools form in shallow waters near beaches or shallow flats resulting in low catches. It is marketed as bluebait to recreational fishers. 

Species Citation

Spratelloides robustus Ogilby 1897, Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 22(1): 64. Type locality: coast of NSW (= Maroubra, New South Wales).

Author

Bray, D.J. 2021

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Blue Sprat, Spratelloides robustus Ogilby 1897

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

Ayvazian, S.G. & Hyndes, G.A. 1995. Surf-zone fish assemblages in south-western Australia: do adjacent nearshore habitats and the warm Leeuwin Current influence the characteristics of the fish fauna? Marine Biology 122: 527–536, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350675

Gaughan, D., Munroe, T.A., Mohd Arshaad, W. & Hata, H. 2017. Spratelloides robustus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T98839002A98886986. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T98839002A98886986.en. Downloaded on 20 April 2021.

Gomon, M.F. 1994. Families Halosauridae, Notacanthidae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Gonorynchidae, Plotosidae, Salmonidae. pp. 215-231 figs 192-206 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. 

Gomon, M.F 2008. Family Clupeidae. pp. 187-193 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Hoedt, F.E., Dimmlich, W.F. & Dann, P. 1995. Seasonal variation in the species and size composition of the clupeoid assemblages in Western Port, Victoria. Marine and Freshwater Research 46: 1085-1091.  https://doi.org/10.1071/MF9951085

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, Western Australia : Aqua Research and Monitoring Services.

Hutchins, J.B. & Thompson, M. 1983. The Marine and Estuarine Fishes of South-western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 103 pp. 345 figs. 

Jackson, G. & Jones, G.K. 1999. Spatial and temporal variation in nearshore fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages from a temperate Australian estuary over a decade. Marine Ecology Progress Series 182: 253-268,  https://doi.org/10.3354/meps182253

Jenkins, G.P., May, H.M.A., Wheatley, M.J. & Holloway, M.G. 1997. Comparison of Fish Assemblages Associated with Seagrass and Adjacent Unvegetated Habitats of Port Phillip Bay and Corner Inlet, Victoria, Australia, with Emphasis on Commercial Species. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 44(5): 569-588, https://doi.org/10.1006/ecss.1996.0131

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)

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

Lenanton, R.C.J. 1982. Alternative non-estuarine nursery habitats for some commercially and recreationally important fish species of south-western Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 33: 881-900.  https://doi.org/10.1071/MF9820881

Miskiewicz, A.G. & Neira, F.J. 1998. Clupeidae: herrings, sardines, shads, sprats. pi. 38-53 in 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.

Munroe, T.A., Wongratana, T. & Nizinski, M.S. 1999. Family Clupeidae. pp. 1775-1821 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Ogilby, J.D. 1897. New genera and species of Australian fishes. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 22(1): 62-95, See ref at BHL 

Prokop, F. 2002. Australian Fish Guide. Croydon South, Victoria : Australian Fishing Network 256 pp. 

Rogers, P.J., Geddes, M. & Ward, T.M. 2003. Blue sprat Spratelloides robustus (Clupeidae: Dussumieriinae): a temperate clupeoid with a tropical life history strategy? Marine Biology 142(4): 809-824, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-002-0973-8

Rogers, P.J. & Ward, T.M. 2007. Life history strategy of sandy sprat Hyperlophus vittatus (Clupeidae): a comparison with clupeoids of the Indo‐Pacific and southern Australia. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 23: 583-591. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2007.00896.x

Schafer, L.N., Platell, M.E., Valesini, F.J. &  Potter, I.C. 2002. Comparisons between the influence of habitat type, season and body size on the dietary compositions of fish species in nearshore marine waters. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 278(1: 67-92, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0981(02)00337-4

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985. FAO species catalog. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeoidei). Part 1 — Chirocentridae, Clupeidae and Pristigasteridae. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125 Vol. 7 Pt 1. pp. 1-303 

Wongratana, T. 1983. Diagnoses of 24 new species and proposal of a new name for a species of Indo-Pacific clupeoid fishes. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 29(4): 385-407 figs 1-25 

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

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37085003

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:0-50 m

Habitat:Pelagic, bays & estuaries

Max Size:9 cm SL

Native:Endemic

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map