- Classification
- ACTINOPTERYGII
- PERCIFORMES
- PLESIOPIDAE
- Trachinops
Genus Trachinops
A genus of small planktivorous fishes found only in southern Australia. Species have a long slender body, a small rounded head, a low long-based dorsal fin and a pointed tail.
Hulafish sometimes form huge schools to feed on plankton in the water column. A female hulafish produces a large egg mass that is guarded by her male partner until the larvae hatch. The common name ‘hulafish’ refers to their characteristic undulating swimming motion.
Key to southern Australian species of Trachinops by Randy Mooi, 2007
1a. Dorsal fin spines 14–15, relatively pungent and easily distinguished from soft rays; pectoral fin rays 16–18; upper segment of lateral line with 45–90 scales ......................................................................... 2
1b. Dorsal fin spines 10–11, extremely weak and difficult to distinguish from soft rays; pectoral fin rays 14–15; upper segment of lateral line with 38–43 scales ……….....…………...............……………… Trachinops brauni
2a. Segmented dorsal fin rays 16–17; segmented anal fin rays 17–20; upper segment of lateral line with 45–57 scales; dark lateral stripe or caudal spot ……………………………………............……………………………………3
2b. Segmented dorsal fin rays 20–21; segmented anal fin rays 22–23; upper segment of lateral line with 73–90 scales; no dark lateral stripe or caudal spot ……………...............…………………… Trachinops noarlungae
3a. Dark blotch on caudal-fin base, body darker dorsally and creamy ventrally; upper segment of lateral line with 45–51 scales, lower segment with 13–18 pored scales ...............................… Trachinops caudimaculatus
3b. Body with yellow stripe from eye to caudal bordered dorsally by a dark stripe from upper lip along dorsal-fin base and ventrally by a red stripe from the eye to the caudal peduncle and then a black stripe from the opercle onto the caudal fin, ventral half of body white; upper segment of lateral line with 51–57 scales; lower segment with 0–7 pored scales …...........................................…...…..... Trachinops taeniatus
References
Allen, G.R. 1977. A revision of the plesiopid fish genus Trachinops, with the description of a new species from Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 5(1): 59-72.
Günther, A. 1861. Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum Vol. 3 586 pp. [366].
Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp.
Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.
Kuiter, R.H. 1994. Family Plesiopidae. pp. 552-558 figs 490-495 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
Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to sea fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.
Mooi, R.D. 2008. Family Plesiopidae. pp.550-556 in Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.