ii Fish identification guide
Cover: Harlequin fish Othos dentex. Photo: Shannon Conway.
Published by Department of Fisheries, Perth, Western Australia.
Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 103, fifth edition, May 2017.ISSN: 1447 – 2058 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-877098-84-0 (Print) ISSN: 2206 – 0928 (Online) ISBN: 978-1-877098-83-3 (Online)
CONTENTS
About this guide ...........................................................................................1
Offshore demersal .......................................................................................3
Inshore demersal .........................................................................................4
Nearshore .................................................................................................12
Estuarine ..................................................................................................19
Pelagic ......................................................................................................20
Sharks ......................................................................................................23
Crustaceans ..............................................................................................25
Molluscs....................................................................................................27
Freshwater – Northern Inland ......................................................................28
Freshwater – Southern Inland ......................................................................29
1Fish identification guide
This guide has been developed to help you identify the more common species in Western Australia that you may encounter.
The purpose of this recreational fishing guide is to greatly enhance consistent and accurate species identification.
If you are unsure about a particular species (or if it is not in this guide), please discuss it with a representative of the Department of Fisheries, Western Australia. You can access additional information on the website www.fish.wa.gov.au
About this guide
Six broad ecological depth-based habitats are recognised within each bioregion. Finfish species are listed in the habitat where they most commonly occur. Sharks and crustaceans are presented separately as they may occupy many habitats.
PELAGIC PAGE 20
OFFSHORE DEMERSAL PAGE 3
INSHORE DEMERSAL PAGE 4
ESTUARINE PAGE 19
FRESHWATER PAGE 28
250m
20m NEARSHORE PAGE 12
Land
2 Fish identification guide
Throughout this guide you will see all or some of the following coastal bioregion symbols with each fish illustration, indicating where the species is most likely to occur.
SC South CoastWC West CoastGC Gascoyne CoastNC North Coast
Freshwater species inhabit the inland bioregions, which are shown on the maps on pages 28 and 29.
About this guide (continued)
North Coast(Pilbara/Kimberley)
GascoyneCoast
WestCoast
South Coast
Ashburton River
Kununurra
Broome
Port HedlandKarratha
Onslow
Exmouth
Carnarvon
Denham
Kalbarri
Geraldton
Perth
AugustaBlack Point
Albany
Esperance
Eucla
115°30' E
114° 50' E
27°S
21°46' S
SC
WC
GCNC
3Fish identification guide
Offshore demersal
Eightbar grouper(Grey banded rockcod, eightbar cod)
Hyporthodus octofasciatus
HapukuPolyprion oxygeneios
Bass groperPolyprion americanus
Blue-eye trevallaHyperoglyphe antarctica
Ruby snapperEtelis carbunculus
Flame snapperEtelis coruscans
4 Fish identification guide
Inshore demersal
West Australian dhufish(Dhuie)
Glaucosoma hebraicum
Western blue groperAchoerodus gouldii
Blue morwong(Queen snapper)
Nemadactylus valenciennesi
Harlequin fishOthos dentex
Juvenile
Northern pearl perchGlaucosoma buergeri
Pink snapper(Snapper, pinkie)
Chrysophrys auratus
Painted sweetlips(Slatey bream, sweetlip)
Diagramma labiosum
JuvenileJuvenile
Sea sweepScorpis aequipinnis
5Fish identification guide
Sergeant bakerAulopus purpurissatus
Common coral trout(Leopard coral trout)Plectropomus leopardus
Mainly offshore in NC and GC
Yelloweye redfishCentroberyx australis
Bight redfish(Red snapper, nannygai)
Centroberyx gerrardi
Barcheek coral trout(Inshore coral trout)
Plectropomus maculatus
Yellowedge coronation trout(Coronation trout, lunartail trout)
Variola louti
JuvenileChinamanfish
(Chinaman)Symphorus nematophorus
SwallowtailCentroberyx lineatus
6 Fish identification guide
Inshore demersal (continued)
Spangled emperorLethrinus nebulosus
Grass emperor(Black snapper, blue-lined emperor,
grass snapper, tricky snapper)Lethrinus laticaudis
Bluespotted emperor(Lesser spangled emperor)
Lethrinus punctulatus
Yellowtail emperorLethrinus atkinsoni
Barramundi codChromileptes altivelis
Longnose emperor(Long-nosed emperor)
Lethrinus olivaceus
Redspot emperor(Pink-eared emperor)
Lethrinus lentjan
Redthroat emperor(Sweetlip emperor)
Lethrinus miniatus
7Fish identification guide
Potato rockcod PROTECTED SPECIES
(Potato cod)Epinephelus tukula
Queensland groper PROTECTED SPECIES
(Giant grouper, Queensland grouper)Epinephelus lanceolatus
Yellowspotted rockcod(Spotted cod, honeycomb cod)
Epinephelus areolatus
Frostback rockcod(Spotted cod, honeycomb cod, frostback cod)
Epinephelus bilobatus
Duskytail grouper(Spotted trout, trout cod)
Epinephelus bleekeri
Blackspotted rockcod(Malabar cod, estuary cod, slimy cod)
Epinephelus malabaricus
Goldspotted rockcod(Estuary cod, slimy cod, greasy grouper)
Epinephelus coioides
Rankin cod(Whitespotted rockcod)Epinephelus multinotatus
JuvenileJuvenile
8 Fish identification guide
Darktail snapper(Maroon seaperch, dark tailed seaperch)
Lutjanus lemniscatus
Brownstripe snapper(Flagfish)
Lutjanus vitta
Stripey snapper(Spanish flag, stripey seaperch)
Lutjanus carponotatus
Inshore demersal (continued)
Rosy threadfin breamNemipterus furcosus
Moses’ snapper(Moses’ perch, fingermark bream)
Lutjanus russellii
Juvenile
Mangrove Jack(Jacks)
Lutjanus argentimaculatus
Breaksea cod(Black arse snapper)Epinephelides armatus
Robinson’s seabream(Robinson’s bream, Robinson’s perch)
Gymnocranius grandoculis
9Fish identification guide
Saddletail snapper(Scarlet seaperch)Lutjanus malabaricus
Maori snapper(Maori seaperch)Lutjanus rivulatus
Red emperor(Reds)
Lutjanus sebae
Goldband snapperPristipomoides multidens
Rosy snapper(Rosy jobfish, crimson jobfish)
Pristipomoides filamentosus
Sharptooth snapper(Sharptooth jobfish)Pristipomoides typus
Crimson snapper(Crimson seaperch, red snapper)
Lutjanus erythropterus
Golden snapper(Fingermark seaperch, fingermark bream)
Lutjanus johnii
10 Fish identification guide
Bluespotted tuskfish Choerodon cauteroma
Blue tuskfish(Bluebone)
Choerodon cyanodus
Blackspot tuskfish(Bluebone)
Choerodon schoenleinii
Purple tuskfish(Grass tuskfish, bluebone)
Choerodon cephalotes
Inshore demersal (continued)
Humphead Maori wrasse PROTECTED SPECIES Cheilinus undulatus
Goldspot pigfish(Goldspot foxfish)Bodianus perditio
Baldchin groper(Baldie)
Choerodon rubescens
Foxfish(Western foxfish)Bodianus frenchii
11Fish identification guide
Bluebarred parrotfishScarus ghobban
Frypan breamArgyrops bleekeri
Bighead gurnard perch(Gurnard perch)
Neosebastes pandus
12 Fish identification guide
Yellowfin whiting(Sand whiting, silver whiting)
Sillago schomburgkii
Nearshore
King George whiting(KG)
Sillaginodes punctata
Goldenline whiting(Golden-lined whiting)
Sillago analis
Western trumpeter whitingSillago burrus
Western school whiting(Sand whiting, school whiting)
Sillago vittata
Southern school whiting(Sand whiting, school whiting)
Sillago bassensis
Yellowtail scad(Yellowtail, yellowtail horse mackerel)
Trachurus novaezelandiae
Dot markings on base of pectoral fin
No dot markings on base of pectoral fin
Faint or no bars
Well defined bars
13Fish identification guide
Australian herring(Herring, tommy ruff)
Arripis georgianus
Western Australian salmon (Salmon)Arripis truttaceus
Juvenile, often called salmon trout, looks like adult Australian herring but has smaller eye and pointy head
Western butterfish(Butterfish, buttery)
Pentapodus vitta
Bluespotted goatfish(Red mullet)
Upeneichthys vlamingii
Lower lobe of tail fin longer
Dark blotch below dorsal fin
Juvenile
Juvenile
Southern garfish (Gardie, southern sea garfish)
Hyporhamphus melanochir
Three-by-two garfish (Robust garfish, storm garfish)
Hemiramphus robustus
Black markings on tail
Black jewfish(Northern mulloway)Protonibea diacanthus
Mulloway(River kingfish)
Argyrosomus japonicus
14 Fish identification guide
Horseshoe leatherjacketMeuschenia hippocrepis
Sixspine leatherjacket(Reef leatherjacket)Meuschenia freycineti
Banded sweepScorpis georgiana
Nearshore (continued)
Silver trevally(Skipjack, skippy)
Pseudocaranx georgianusThis includes the smaller sand trevally (P. wrightii)
Tailor(Chopper – small tailor)
Pomatomus saltatrix
SnookSphyraena novaehollandiae
LongtomFamily Belonidae
Yellowtail barracuda(Pike, striped seapike)
Sphyraena obtusata
15Fish identification guide
Blue mackerel(Slimey mackerel, common mackerel)
Scomber australasicus
Oriental bonitoSarda orientalis
Barramundi Lates calcarifer
Diamondscale mulletLiza vaigiensis
Greenback mulletLiza subviridis
Sea mullet(Mullet)
Mugil cephalus
Bluetail mulletValamugil buchanani
Yelloweye mullet(Pilch, yellow-eyed mullet)
Aldrichetta forsteri
16 Fish identification guide
Turrum(Goldspotted trevally)
Carangoides fulvoguttatus
Golden trevally(Banded trevally)
Gnathanodon speciosus
Nearshore (continued)
Chinaman rockcod(Charlie court)
Epinephelus rivulatus
Bludger trevallyCarangoides gymnostethus
Western yellowfin bream(Yellowfin bream)
Acanthopagrus morrisoni
Northwest black bream(Pikey bream)
Acanthopagrus palmaris
Queenfish(Queenie)
Scomberoides spp.
Giant trevally(GT)
Caranx ignobilis
17Fish identification guide
Blotched javelin(Blotched javelinfish)Pomadasys maculatus
Barred javelin(Spotted javelinfish)
Pomadasys kaakan
Silver toadfish POISONOUS (North-West blowfish)Lagocephalus sceleratus
Blue threadfin(Bluenose threadfin salmon, blue salmon)
Eleutheronema tetradactylum
King threadfin(Giant threadfin salmon, giant threadfin)
Polydactylus macrochir
Giant sea catfish(Giant salmon catfish)
Arius thalassinus
Weeping toadfish POISONOUS
(Blowie, pufferfish, common blowfish)Torquigener pleurogramma
Tripletail Lobotes surinamensis
4 pectoral filaments
5 pectoral filaments
18 Fish identification guide
Nearshore (continued)
Male
Female
Male
Female
Western King wrasseCoris auricularis
Western striped grunter(Trumpeter, striped trumpeter)
Pelates octolineatus
Southern maori wrasseOphthalmolepis lineolatus
Brownspotted wrasseNotolabrus parilus
Common dart Trachinotus botla
Sea trumpeter Pelsartia humeralis
19Fish identification guide
Estuarine
Yellowtail flathead(Bartailed flathead)
Platycephalus westraliae
Northern sand flathead(Sand flathead, flag tailed flathead)
Platycephalus endrachtensis
Southern bluespotted flathead(Bluespotted flathead, southern flathead)
Platycephalus speculator
Estuary cobbler(Cobbler)
Cnidoglanis macrocephalus
Smalltooth flounderPseudorhombus jenynsii
Largetooth flounderPseudorhombus arsius
Black breamAcanthopagrus butcheri
Tarwhine(Silver bream)
Rhabdosargus sarba
20 Fish identification guide
Pelagic
SamsonfishSeriola hippos
AmberjackSeriola dumerili
Yellowtail kingfish(Kingfish, kingie)
Seriola lalandi
Southern bluefin tunaThunnus maccoyii
Juvenile
Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares
Longtail tuna(Northern bluefin tuna)
Thunnus tonggol
Mackerel tuna(Jack mackerel, kawakawa)
Euthynnus affinis
Dogtooth tuna(Doggie)
Gymnosarda unicolor
21Fish identification guide
(CONTINUED)
Blue marlinMakaira nigricans
Black marlinMakaira indica
Striped marlinTetraputerus audax
Spanish mackerel(Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel)
Scomberomorus commerson
Spotted mackerel(Australian spotted mackerel)
Scomberomorus munroi
School mackerel(Queensland school mackerel, doggie)
Scomberomorus queenslandicus
Grey mackerel(Broad-barred Spanish mackerel,
broad-banded mackerel)Scomberomorus semifasciatus
Shark mackerel(Scaly mackerel, salmon mackerel)
Grammatorcynus bicarinatus
22 Fish identification guide
SailfishIstiophorus platypterus
Cobia(Black kingfish)
Rachycentron canadum
Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri
Great barracudaSphyraena barracuda
Mahi mahi(Dolphinfish)
Coryphaena spp.
Pelagic (continued)
23Fish identification guide
Dusky whalerCarcharhinus obscurus
Bronze whalerCarcharhinus brachyurus
Sandbar shark(Thickskin shark, northern whaler, sand shark)
Carcharhinus plumbeus
Tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier
Whitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesus
Whiskery sharkFurgaleus macki
Gummy shark(Southern gummy shark)
Mustelus antarcticus
Western spotted gummy sharkMustelus stevensi
Interdorsal ridge
Broad, angular upper teeth
Narrow hook-shaped upper
teethNo interdorsal
ridge
Sharks
24 Fish identification guide
Hammerhead sharksFamily Sphyrnidae
WobbegongsFamily Orectolobidae
Greynurse shark PROTECTED SPECIESCarcharias taurus
Port Jackson sharkHeterodontus portusjackson
White shark PROTECTED SPECIES Carcharodon carcharias
SawsharksFamily Pristiophoridae
Sawfishes PROTECTED SPECIES Family Pristidae
Sharks (continued)
25Fish identification guide
Brown mud crab(Orange mud crab)
Scylla olivacea
Green mud crab(Giant mud crab)
Scylla serrata
Crustaceans
Western rock lobsterPanulirus cygnus
Southern rock lobsterJasus edwardsii
Painted rock lobster(Tropical rock lobster, green rock lobster)
Panulirus versicolor
Ornate rock lobster(Tropical rock lobster)
Panulirus ornatus
Long, narrow lobes between the eyes
Short, broad lobes between the eyes
Claw spines reduced or blunt
prominences
One small blunt spine or no spines at all on the elbow
More than one prominent sharp spine on
the elbow
Claw spines large and distinct
26 Fish identification guide
Crustaceans (continued)
Blue swimmer crab(Blue manna, blue crab)
Portunus armatus (formerly P. pelagicus)
PrawnsFamily Penaeidae
27Fish identification guide
Roe’s abaloneHaliotis roei
Greenlip abaloneHaliotis laevigata
Brownlip abaloneHaliotis rubra conicopora
SquidOrder Teuthoidea
OctopusOctopus spp.
CuttlefishSepia spp.
Molluscs
28 Fish identification guide
Redclaw(Queensland red claw crayfish)
Cherax quadricarinatus
Cherabin(Freshwater prawns)Macrobrachium spp.
Silver cobbler(Lake Argyle catfish, Ord River catfish)
Neoarius midgleyi
Western sooty grunter(Sooty grunter)
Hephaestus jenkinsi
Northern Inland
Southern Inland
Ashburton River
Kununurra
Broome
Port HedlandKarratha
Onslow
Exmouth
Carnarvon
Denham
Kalbarri
Geraldton
Perth
Augusta
Black Point Albany
Esperance
Eucla
27°S
NI
Freshwater – Northern Inland
Two different bioregions apply for freshwater species – the Northern Inland Bioregion (shown on the map below) and the Southern Inland Bioregion.
29Fish identification guide
Northern Inland
Southern Inland
Ashburton River
Kununurra
Broome
Port HedlandKarratha
Onslow
Exmouth
Carnarvon
Denham
Kalbarri
Geraldton
Perth
Augusta
Black Point Albany
Esperance
Eucla
27°S
SI
Freshwater – Southern Inland
Two different bioregions apply for freshwater species – the Northern Inland Bioregion and the Southern Inland Bioregion (shown on the map below).
Rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss
Brown troutSalmo trutta
RedfinPerca fluviatilis
Freshwater cobbler(Freshwater catfish)
Tandanus bostocki
MarronCherax cainii
30 Fish identification guide
INDEX OF COMMON NAMES
AAmberjack ...................................... 20
Australian herring ............................ 13
BBaldchin groper ............................... 10
Banded sweep ................................ 14
Barcheek coral trout .......................... 5
Barramundi .................................... 15
Barramundi cod ................................ 6
Barred javelin .................................. 17
Bass groper ...................................... 3
Bighead gurnard perch .................... 11
Bight redfish ..................................... 5
Black bream ................................... 19
Black jewfish .................................. 13
Black marlin ................................... 21
Blackspotted rockcod ........................ 7
Blackspot tuskfish........................... 10
Blotched javelin ............................... 17
Bludger trevally ............................... 16
Bluebarred parrotfish ....................... 11
Blue-eye trevalla ................................ 3
Blue mackerel ................................. 15
Blue marlin ..................................... 21
Blue morwong ................................... 4
Bluespotted emperor ......................... 6
Bluespotted goatfish ....................... 13
Bluespotted tuskfish ....................... 10
Blue swimmer crab.......................... 26
Bluetail mullet................................. 15
Blue threadfin ................................. 17
Blue tuskfish .................................. 10
Breaksea cod.................................... 8
Bronze whaler ................................. 23
Brownlip abalone............................. 27
Brown mud crab .............................. 25
Brownspotted wrasse ...................... 18
Brownstripe snapper ......................... 8
Brown trout ..................................... 29
CCherabin ......................................... 28
Chinamanfish .................................... 5
Chinaman rockcod........................... 16
Cobia ............................................. 22
Common coral trout........................... 5
Common dart .................................. 18
Crimson snapper ............................... 9
Cuttlefish ........................................ 27
DDarktail snapper ............................... 8
Diamondscale mullet ....................... 15
Dogtooth tuna ................................. 20
Duskytail grouper .............................. 7
Dusky whaler .................................. 23
EEightbar grouper ................................ 3
Estuary cobbler ............................... 19
31Fish identification guide
FFlame snapper .................................. 3
Foxfish ........................................... 10
Freshwater cobbler .......................... 29
Frostback rockcod ............................. 7
Frypan bream .................................. 11
GGiant sea catfish............................. 17
Giant trevally ................................... 16
Goldband snapper ............................. 9
Goldenline whiting ........................... 12
Golden snapper ................................ 9
Golden trevally ................................ 16
Goldspot pigfish .............................. 10
Goldspotted rockcod ......................... 7
Grass emperor .................................. 6
Great barracuda .............................. 22
Greenback mullet ............................ 15
Greenlip abalone ............................. 27
Green mud crab .............................. 25
Grey mackerel ................................. 21
Greynurse shark .............................. 24
Gummy shark.................................. 23
HHammerhead sharks ....................... 24
Hapuku ............................................ 3
Harlequin fish ................................... 4
Horseshoe leatherjacket .................. 14
Humphead Maori wrasse ................ 10
KKing George whiting......................... 12
King threadfin ................................. 17
LLargetooth flounder ......................... 19
Longnose emperor ............................ 6
Longtail tuna ................................... 20
Longtom ......................................... 14
MMackerel tuna ................................. 20
Mahi mahi ...................................... 22
Mangrove Jack .................................. 8
Maori snapper .................................. 9
Marron ........................................... 29
Moses’ snapper ................................ 8
Mulloway ........................................ 13
NNorthern pearl perch ......................... 4
Northern sand flathead.................... 19
Northwest black bream .................... 16
OOctopus.......................................... 27
Oriental bonito ................................ 15
Ornate rock lobster ......................... 25
PPainted rock lobster ........................ 25
Painted sweetlips .............................. 4
Pink snapper..................................... 4
32 Fish identification guide
Port Jackson shark .......................... 24
Potato rockcod .................................. 7
Prawns ........................................... 26
Purple tuskfish ................................ 10
QQueenfish ....................................... 16
Queensland groper ............................ 7
RRainbow trout ................................. 29
Rankin cod ....................................... 7
Redclaw .......................................... 28
Red emperor ..................................... 9
Redfin ............................................ 29
Redspot emperor .............................. 6
Redthroat emperor ............................ 6
Robinson’s seabream ........................ 8
Roe’s abalone ................................. 27
Rosy snapper .................................... 9
Rosy threadfin bream ........................ 8
Ruby snapper .................................... 3
SSaddletail snapper ............................ 9
Sailfish ........................................... 22
Samsonfish .................................... 20
Sandbar shark ................................ 23
Sawfishes ...................................... 24
Sawsharks ...................................... 24
School mackerel ............................. 21
Sea mullet ...................................... 15
Sea sweep........................................ 4
Sea trumpeter................................. 18
Sergeant baker ................................. 5
Shark mackerel ............................... 21
Sharptooth snapper........................... 9
Silver cobbler .................................. 28
Silver toadfish ................................ 17
Silver trevally .................................. 14
Sixspine leatherjacket ..................... 14
Smalltooth flounder ......................... 19
Snook ............................................ 14
Southern bluefin tuna ...................... 20
Southern bluespotted flathead ......... 19
Southern garfish ............................ 13
Southern maori wrasse .................... 18
Southern rock lobster ...................... 25
Southern school whiting .................. 12
Spangled emperor ............................. 6
Spanish mackerel ........................... 21
Spotted mackerel ............................ 21
Squid ............................................. 27
Striped marlin ................................. 21
Stripey snapper ................................. 8
Swallowtail ....................................... 5
TTailor .............................................. 14
Tarwhine ......................................... 19
Three-by-two garfish ........................ 13
Tiger shark ..................................... 23
Index of common names (continued)
33Fish identification guide
Tripletail ......................................... 17
Turrum ............................................ 16
WWahoo ............................................ 22
Weeping toadfish ............................ 17
West Australian dhufish ..................... 4
Western Australian salmon .................. 13
Western blue groper .......................... 4
Western butterfish ........................... 13
Western King wrasse ....................... 18
Western rock lobster ....................... 25
Western school whiting .................... 12
Western sooty grunter ..................... 28
Western spotted gummy shark ......... 23
Western striped grunter ................... 18
Western trumpeter whiting ............... 12
Western yellowfin bream .................. 16
Whiskery shark ............................... 23
White shark ................................... 24
Whitetip reef shark .......................... 23
Wobbegongs ................................... 24
YYellowedge coronation trout ............... 5
Yelloweye mullet .............................. 15
Yelloweye redfish ............................... 5
Yellowfin tuna ................................. 20
Yellowfin whiting .............................. 12
Yellowspotted rockcod ....................... 7
Yellowtail barracuda ........................ 14
Yellowtail emperor ............................. 6
Yellowtail flathead ........................... 19
Yellowtail kingfish ............................ 20
Yellowtail scad ................................ 12
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES – HEAD OFFICEGordon Stephenson House,
140 William Street, Perth WA 6000 T: (08) 6551 4444 F: (08) 9482 7389
www.fish.wa.gov.au [email protected]
ABN: 55 689 794 771
Before you go fishing, let someone know where you are going and contact them if your plans change. Always let them know when you return.
The information in this guide is current at the date of printing, but may change. A separate guide on fishing rules is available.
For the most up-to-date information on fishing, visit the Department of Fisheries website or contact us.
The latest version of each brochure is available for download in PDF format from the website.
940/17Illustrations © R.Swainston/www.anima.net.au
Produced for the Survey of Recreational Fishing in Western Australia.
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