Spiny Hairtail, Lepturacanthus savala (Cuvier 1829)
Illustration of a Spiny Hairtail, Lepturacanthus savala (as Trichiurus savala). Source: in Day (1878) The Fishes of India. Volume 2. License: Copyright expired
A metallic steely blue hairtail becoming white towards the rear, with black jaw tips, black inside the gill cover and a black marking on the shoulder. Little is known of this large hairtail.
Spiny Hairtail, Lepturacanthus savala (Cuvier 1829)
More Info
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Distribution |
Shark Bay, Western Australia, to off Palm Islands, Queensland. Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical, Indo-west Pacific - Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka east to west Pacific. Inhabits coastal waters in depths to 100 m, often near the surface at night. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin III-IV, 110-120; Anal fin 75; Pectoral fin I, 10. Pelvic and caudal fins absent. Body extremely elongate, strongly compressed, ribbon-like, tapering to a point; snout length 2.0-2.5 times into HL; eye diameter 7.0-9.0 times in HL. Dermal process present on both jaws; barbed fangs in both jaws. Anal fin greatly reduced, consisting of spinules breaking the skin. Lateral line closer to ventral profile than dorsal profile. |
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Size |
To 100 cm. |
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Colour |
Body metallic blue, tapering caudal section white. Margin of anus pale. Caudal fin membrane edged with white. Tips of jaws, inside of opercle and anterior shoulder girdle black. |
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Feeding |
Feeds on small fish and crustaceans. |
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Biology |
Little is known of the biology of this species in Australian waters. |
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Fisheries |
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Conservation |
Not evaluated. |
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Species Citation |
Trichiurus savala Cuvier 1829, Le Règne Animal 2(2): 219. Type locality: Pondicherry, India. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. & Schultz, S. 2018 |
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Resources |
Spiny Hairtail, Lepturacanthus savala (Cuvier 1829)
References
Cuvier, G.L. 1829. Le Règne Animal Distribué d'après son Organisation, pour servir de base à l'histoire naturelle des animaux et d'introduction à l'anatomie comparée. Poissons. Paris : Fortin, Masson et Co. Vol. 2 Nouvelle édition, pp. 122-406.
Larson, H.K. & Williams, R.S. 1997. Darwin Harbour fishes: a survey and annotated checklist. pp. 339-380 in Hanley, H.R., Caswell, G., Megirian, D. & Larson, H.K. (eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Proceedings of the Sixth International Marine Biology Workshop. Darwin : Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 466 pp.
Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293
Nakamura, I. & Parin, N.V. 1993. FAO Species Catalogue. Snake mackerels and cutlassfishes of the world (families Gempylidae and Trichiuridae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the Snake Mackerels, Snoeks, Escolars, Gemfishes, Sackfishes, Domine, Oilfish, Cutlassfishes, Scabbardfishes, Hairtails, and Frostfishes known to date. Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Vol. 15. Rome : FAO 136 pp. 200 figs.
Nakamura, I. & Parin, N.V. 2001. Gempylidae, Trichiuridae. pp. 3698-3720 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218.
Tucker, D.W. 1956. Studies on the trichiuroid fishes — 3. A preliminary revision of the family Trichiuridae. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 4(3): 73-130 figs 1-23 pl 10
