PORT PHILLIP BAY


Splendid Perch 

Callanthias australis

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: XI, 10-12
Anal fin spines/rays: III, 10-11
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 18-23
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 34-41

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.
A small family of brightly-colooured planktivorous fishes generally found on deeper reefs. They are closely related to serranids, and differ in having the lateral line high following the dorsal profile just below the dorsal fin, dorsal and anal fins with spines and rays progressively increasing in length, and row of modified scales with pits and grooves along the middle of the side.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Callanthiidae
Genus:
Callanthias
Species:
australis

General Description

Adults brightly-coloured, orange to pink to brick red, with yellow on tail and tail base, mauve on head and anterior part of body, pectoral fin mauve with a red base, dorsal and anal fins edged with iridescent blue; females less intense, juveniles uniformly pink with pale blue fins. To 30 cm (females to 20 cm).

Biology

A schooling species that feeds on zooplankton. Males become very brightly coloured when breeding.

Habitat

Exposed reefs and pinnacles, in depths of 20-365 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

New Zealand and southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Splendid perches

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

30 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in 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, Splendid Perch, Callanthias australis, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 13 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6366

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