PORT PHILLIP BAY


Yellowtail Kingfish 

Seriola lalandi Valenciennes, 1833

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VII; I, 29-35
Anal fin spines/rays: II; I, 19-22
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 20-21
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 160-180
Gill rakers: 21-25

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.
Streamlined, active-swimming fishes, with fine smooth scales, a relatively short-based spinous first dorsal fin, a long-based soft-rayed second dorsal fin, a narrow tail base and a deeply forked tail; usually a detached pair of short spines before the anal fin. While adults usually inhabit coastal or near shore waters, juveniles are often far from land around floating debris or large planktonic invertebrates such as jellyfish. Many are highly valued gamefish and some are commercially important.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Carangidae
Genus:
Seriola
Species:
lalandi

General Description

Body compressed, elongate, oval, tail base slender; pectoral fins short, pointed; a low fleshy lateral keel on the tail base (keel poorly developed in adults). Dark blue above, silvery below with broad yellowish stripe on midside. To 2.5 m.

Biology

This species is found in large schools, especially around coastal reefs: adults usually occur around deep reefs and offshore islands, smaller fishes generally closer to coast. They feed on fish and squid, and are highly-prized by recreational anglers.

Habitat

Cool tropical to temperate waters, around rocky reefs; enters bays, ocngregating around channel markers and drop-offs, in depths of 0-50 m.

Reefs

Open water

Distribution guide

Southern Hemisphere and North Pacific. Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Trevallies and allies

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor Midwater

Max Size

2.5 m

Commercial Species

Yes

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, Yellowtail Kingfish, Seriola lalandi, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 13 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6459

Text: creative commons cc by licence