PORT PHILLIP BAY


Longfin Pike 

Dinolestes lewini (Griffith, 1834)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: IV-V; I, 15-19
Anal fin spines/rays: II, 25-29
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 16-17
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 64-70
Gill rakers: (lower) 15

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.
A large and highly diverse group of modern bony fishes many of which have a generalized perch like body form. Most have pelvic fins with one spine and 5 rays and the maxillary bone is excluded from the gape of the mouth. Interrelationships of the group are poorly understood and continue to be studied. They inhabit almost all aquatic habitats from high-altitude strams to the deep sea, although most are marine.

Family level detail.
Family with a single species.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Dinolestidae
Genus:
Dinolestes
Species:
lewini

General Description

Slender predatory fishes with a narrow pointed head, a large eye and a large mouth with a slightly protruding lower jaw and a single row of small teeth in both jaws; first dorsal fin small and widely-separated from the larger second dorsal fin; anal fin long-based; lateral line almost straight, continuing far onto the tail. Body greyish to yellowish-brown above, silvery below tail yellow. To 60 cm.

Biology

This large predatory species feeds on other fishes and squid. Longfin Pike usually occur in schools, sometimes comprising hundreds of individuals, and are often seen hovering motionless above the bottom. Although unrelated, they superficially resemble barracudas (Family Sphyraenidae).

Habitat

Coastal waters, including bays and estuaries near seagrass beds and on exposed rocky reefs in depths of 1-65 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Pikes

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor Midwater

Max Size

60 cm

Diet

Carnivore

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, Longfin Pike, Dinolestes lewini, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 18 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/10386

Text: creative commons cc by licence