PORT PHILLIP BAY


Western Australian Salmon 

Arripis truttaceus (Cuvier, 1829)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: IX, 15-16
Anal fin spines/rays: III, 10
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 16-18
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 49-56
Gill rakers: 24-27

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. and Kuiter, R.H. (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.
A small family of slender, streamlined silvery fishes with a single long-based dorsal fin, the spinous and soft portions joined by a low notch; anal fin short-based, positioned posteriorly; tail deeply forked; jaws with many rows of fine teeth; scales small, covering body and most of head.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Arripidae
Genus:
Arripis
Species:
truttaceus

General Description

Body long, slender, streamlined; edge of bone under eye with prominent serrations in smaller fish; scales smooth to touch in large fish. Dark blue green above, silvery white below; golden bars on upper half of body in juveniles, spots in slightly larger individuals; pectoral fin bright yellow, other fins clear, caudal and spinous portion of dorsal with blackish margin. Similar to the Eastern Australian Salmon, and distinguished by counting gill rakers. To 75 cm.

Biology

The Western Australian Salmon is a very popular angling fish, renowned as a fighter on rod and reel. It is also commercially important, although the flesh is rather dry and soft. Large schools migrate along the open coast.

Habitat

Open coast, especially off beaches, juveniles in bays and estuaries, in depths of 0-30 m.

Open water

Distribution guide

Southern Australia. More common in Port Phillip Bay than the Eastern Australian Salmon.

Species Group

Fishes › Salmons and allies

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

Midwater Surface

Max Size

75 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, Western Australian Salmon, Arripis truttaceus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 07 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6358

Text: creative commons cc by licence