PORT PHILLIP BAY


Silver Dory 

Cyttus australis (Richardson, 1843)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VIII-IX; 27-30
Anal fin spines/rays: II, 28-31
Caudal fin rays: 13
Pectoral fin rays: 11
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 6
Lateral line: 77-88

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
The order Zeiformes is a small order of marine fishes found in all oceans, and most are deep-bodied, highly compressed fishes, with large heads, large highly protrusible mouths and large eyes located near the dorsal profile. Many have elongate dorsal-fin spines, often with filamentous tips, and some have a row of enlarged scales or spiny scutes at the dorsal and anal-fn bases, or along the belly. Dories and their allies live near the bottom on the continental slope often around seamounts, to depths of more than 1000 m. Two species enter bays and harbours. Many species are commercially important.

Family level detail.
Members of the family Cyttidae are very compressed deep-bodied fishes, with large heads, large highly protrusible mouths and large eyes located near the dorsal profile. They have a row of enlarged 'zipper-like' scales along the ventral surface and low scaly sheaths at the dorsal and anal-fin bases. The family comtains a single genus with three species and all are found in southern Australia.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Zeiformes
Suborder:
Zeioidei
Family:
Zeidae
Genus:
Cyttus
Species:
australis

General Description

Body deep, sub-rhombic in juveniles to oval in adults; spinous dorsal fin elongate; lower surface of body with a row of scutes in front of pelvic fins; body scales rough to touch, firmly attached. Rosy-silver, spinous dorsal and pelvic fins red near base, dark towards tips, tail reddish near base, fin margin black; fins otherwise pink. To 50 cm.

Biology

This species is commercially trawled on a small scale in Victoria.

Habitat

Near the bottom, in depths of 20-235 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Dories

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

50 cm

Commercial Species

Yes

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Silver Dory, Cyttus australis, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6526

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