PORT PHILLIP BAY


Australian Bonito 

Sarda australis (Macleay, 1881)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: XVII-XIX; 15-17; 7-8 finlets
Anal fin spines/rays: 14-16; 5-7 finlets
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 25-27
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: ?
Gill rakers: 18-22

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.
Powerful streamlined fishes with two dorsal fins that fold into grooves, deeply forked or lunate tails and a series of dorsal and anal finlets before the narrow tail base. They are fast-swimming open-water predators and are extremely commercially and recreationally important.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Scombridae
Genus:
Sarda
Species:
australis

General Description

Body fusiform, moderately deep, tapering sharply to narrow tail bases with keels on each side, two dorsal fins almost joined, tail strongly lunate. Pectoral and pelvic fins short and triangular. Dark blue green above, silvery below with five to ten dark narrow stripes on upper portion of body, fins brownish grey. To more than 90 cm.

Biology

A rare species in Victorian waters that feeds mainly on other fish.

Habitat

Pelagic in coastal waters, in depths of 5-200 m.

Open water

Distribution guide

New Zealand and south-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Mackerels and tunas

Depth

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

Water Column

Midwater Surface

Max Size

90 cm

Diet

Carnivore

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, Australian Bonito, Sarda australis, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 09 Oct 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6454

Text: creative commons cc by licence