The species included on this site occur within Port Phillip, the Heads of the bay or nearby coastline. The dataset is based on CSIRO’s Port Phillip Environmental Study, Museum Victoria collection records and knowledge from Museum staff and external consultants.
Some species, for example mammals and reptiles, are seasonal or occasional visitors to Victorian waters and therefore not common in Port Phillip or only found in waters outside the Heads.
Researchers do not collect from all possible locations so species included may underestimate actual populations in Port Phillip, and associated data such as depth and size may not be inclusive of the full range for a species. The collections by nature are of historical records, so the list may include species that are no longer found in Port Phillip.
A comprehensive list of most species in or near Port Phillip is included on this website for the following groups: Actinopterygii (fishes), Anthozoa (anemones), Asteroidea (seastars), Cephalopoda (octopuses, squids and allies), Chlorophyta (green algae), Chondrichthyes (sharks, rays and allies), Cirripedia (barnacles), Crinoidea (feather stars), Cubozoa (jellyfishes), Cyanophyceae (blue-green algae), Decapoda (crabs, shrimps and allies), Echinoidea (sea urchins), Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers), Hydrozoa (jellyfishes), Mammalia (whales, dolphins and allies), Ochrophyta (brown algae), Ophiuroidea (brittle stars), Polyplacophora (chitons), Pycnogonida (sea spiders), Reptilia (turtles and sea snakes), Rhodophyta (red algae), Scyphozoa (jellyfishes), Thaliacea (salps), Tracheophyta (seagrasses and mangroves).
A list of selected species in or near Port Phillip is included on this website for the following groups: Amphipoda (amphipod microcrustaceans), Ascidiacea (ascidians), Aves (birds), Bivalvia (mussels, clams and allies), Bryozoa (lace corals), Cumaceans (opossum shrimps), Gastropoda (sea snails and allies), Hydrozoa (hydroids), Isopoda (isopod microcrustaceans), Opisthobranchia (nudibranchs and allies), Polychaeta (worms), Porifera (sponges).
The species list is based on CSIRO's Port Phillip Bay Environmental Study, CSIRO's CRIMP Technical Report 20, Museum Victoria collection records and knowledge from Museum staff and experts.
Scientific names are specified with a Genus and Species component. Specimens listed without a species component are records likely to be new to science. These have a Museum Victoria unique identifier number displayed, 'MoV' or 'sp'. Further examination of these specimens may reveal that some are known species.
Sourced from Museum Victoria records or expertise of the page author.
Sourced from Museum Victoria records or expertise of the page author.
An interpretation from Museum Victoria records or expertise of the page author.
Refers to species listed on the CAAB list of Australian commercial species, last updated 2005.
A brief approximation of the species distribution based on specimens held in Australia’s museums and curatorial knowledge of page authors. Interpret these descriptions as 'the species is likely to be found within the area mentioned where suitable habitat occurs'.
Generalised into broad groups. Carnivore, Herbivore, Omnivore, Plankton or Particles, and Organic Matter. The Plankton or Particles category refers to small suspended algae and animals, or particulate organic matter. Organic matter refers to plant and animal matter on the sea floor.
Reported here in one of three categories. Native to Australia denotes species with no distributions recorded outside Australian waters according to the ABRS Australian Faunal Directory. Introduced to Australia denotes species that were introduced into Australian waters according to CSIROs CRIMP technical report 20 or other data. Recorded in Australia denotes species where it is uncertain whether they fit the native or introduced status, but they have been recorded in Australian waters (also known as a cryptogenic species).
Sourced from national and international lists of threatened fauna. Victorian status source is the DSE Advisory Lists of Threatened Species 2007-2009. Australian status source is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Worldwide status is the IUCN Red List. Data was checked against these lists in August 2011.