Arripis trutta | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Scombriformes |
Family: | Arripidae |
Genus: | Arripis |
Species: | A. trutta |
Binomial name | |
Arripis trutta (J. R. Forster, 1801) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Arripis trutta, known as the Australian salmon in Australia and as kahawai in New Zealand, is a South Pacific marine fish and one of the four extant species within the genus Arripis , native to the cooler waters around the southeastern Australian coasts and the New Zealand coastline. Other common names for this species include Eastern Australian salmon, bay trout, blackback salmon (or just "black back"), buck salmon (or "buck"), cocky salmon, colonial salmon, newfish and salmon trout.
Although it is referred to as "salmon" in Australian English and its species epithet trutta is Latin for trout, it is not related to true salmons or trouts, which belong to the family Salmonidae of the order Salmoniformes. All Arripis species belong to the family Arripidae of the order Scombriformes.
Arripis trutta was first formally described in 1801 as Sciaena trutta by Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider with the type locality given as the Cook Strait. [2]
Arripis trutta is a streamlined fish with a long and slender body. There is a bony ridge edge of bone beneath and in front of each eye which has obvious serrations in smaller individuals. In larger fish the scales feel smooth. The lobes of the caudal fin are equivalent in length to the head. These fish are dark bluish-green dorsally and silvery white ventrally. The juveniles have golden bars on their upper flanks and these break up into large spots as the fish matures. The pectoral fin is vivid yellow and the caudal and spiny part of the dorsal fin both have a blackish margin. [3] There are 9 spines and 15–17 soft rays in the dorsal fin and 3 spines and 9–10 soft rays in the anal fin. The maximum total length recorded is 89 centimetres (35 in) although they are commonly a total length of around 47 centimetres (19 in) and the maximum recorded weight is 9.4 kilograms (21 lb). [1] The most consistent difference between this species and Arripis truttacea is the gill raker count, A. truttacea has 25–31 gill rakers and A trutta has 33–40. [3]
Arripis trutta can differentiated from Arripis xylabion , as the former has a larger tail. [4]
Arripis trutta is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean mostly around the littoral waters of the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait. [1] In Australia, they are found from Moreton Bay in Queensland to western Victoria and northern Tasmania, with infrequent records at Kangaroo Island in South Australia. They are also found around Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island in the open waters of the Tasman Sea. [3] In New Zealand, they are distributed around the coasts but are more common north of Kaikōura on the South Island. [5] They are also found around the Chatham Islands and Kermadec Islands [1] east of New Zealand.
Arripis trutta is a migratory fish that may swim long distances, sometimes thousands of kilometres. The adults congregate and form very large schools off oceanic beaches and exposed coasts coastal areas, [3] and will enter rivers. [1] The juveniles live in smaller schools in more sheltered areas such as bays and estuaries, and these mostly occur in the more southerly areas in which this species occurs. It is carnivorous and feeds mainly on small pelagic fish and crustaceans such as krill. [3] They are highly visual predators, preying on a diverse variety which eat a variety of crustaceans and polychaetes during their juvenile phase, however, adults shift their preferred prey to small schooling baitfish such as pilchards, sprats and anchovies. There is some evidence that the diet of A. trutta has undergone a marked shift since the late 20th century, studies conducted during 1950s and 1960s found that the adults fed largely on krill and squid, which are animals associated with cooler waters. Studies during the early 21st century have shown that the main prey taken is small pelagic baitfish. It is thought that this shift is a result of long-term changes in the East Australian Current which brings warmer waters from the Coral Sea and has extended farther south since the 1990s. It is further thought that this "multi-decadal southward penetration of the EAC" is one of the more obvious indications of global warming and the recorded change in the diet of A trutta forms a biological record of oceanic warming. [6]
Arripis trutta are preyed on by larger marine predators such as seals, dolphins and sharks. The feeding schools push the smaller fish they are preying on towards the surface, making them accessible to seabirds, In this way, this species has an important ecological role in facilitating transfer of energy among the upper levels of the pelagic food chain in inshore ecosystems. [6] An example is the white-fronted tern (Sterna striata) which has the colloquial name "kahawai bird" because often feeds on shoaling fish in association with kahawai, gulls and shearwaters. Fishers hunting for schools of kahawai to troll look out for the flocks of white-fronted terns feeding in association with the predatory fish. [7]
The Australian population of this species spawns in the surf zone between Lakes Entrance in southeastern Victoria and Bermagui in New South Wales South Coast in the late spring and summer. They first spawn when they are around four years old and have attained a length of 39 centimetres (15 in) [8] They can live for up to 26 years. [1]
Arripis trutta is a major traditional food for Māori. Many tribes would migrate to river mouths in summer months, when kahawai would swarm. [4] Kahawai could be caught using flecks of iridescent pāua shells, or by using a pā kahawai, a specialised hook that incorporated pāua shell in the design. [4] The name kahawai is specific to Māori language, as the word is not used for any similar species of fish across Polynesia. [4]
Early European settlers to New Zealand did not like the fish, describing it as dry, coarse and flavourless. Overtime the fish grew in popularity, and is now one of the most caught recreational fish in the country. [4]
Arripis trutta are caught in coastal waters, frequently in the vicinity of estuaries and off coastal beaches. Most of the commercial landings are caught using purse seines and spotter planes may be used to find the large schools They may also be taken as bycatch of purse seine and trawl fisheries pursuing other schooling species like snapper, mackerel and trevally. Although they are fished for throughout southern Australia, the main landings are in southern New South Wales and Eastern Victoria. The flesh of this species is not very popular with consumers and a high proportion of the landings have been used as pet-food or bait. [9] In New Zealand the principal commercial fishing areas are north of Kaikōura in the South Island, off the coast of North Island and in the Cook Strait. [10] Fisheries New Zealand manages that nation's fishery to maintain the population of A trutta at roughly 52% of the stock which was present before modern commercial fisheries began and in 2019 the population was well above that target. [11]
Arripis trutta are highly prized by recreational fishers, especially for anglers fishing from beaches and rocks. Anglers tend to catch this species using light tackle or by fly fishing and it is said to be a "sporting catch". [12]
Salmon is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera Salmo and Oncorhynchus of the family Salmonidae, native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (Salmo) and North Pacific (Oncorhynchus) basins. Other closely related fish in the same family include trout, char, grayling, whitefish, lenok and taimen, all coldwater fish of the subarctic and cooler temperate regions with some sporadic endorheic populations in Central Asia.
Trout is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera Oncorhynchus, Salmo and Salvelinus, all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the family Salmonidae. The word trout is also used for some similar-shaped but non-salmonid fish, such as the spotted seatrout/speckled trout.
The brown trout is a species of salmonid ray-finned fish and the most widely distributed species of the genus Salmo, endemic to most of Europe, West Asia and parts of North Africa, and has been widely introduced globally as a game fish, even becoming one of the world's worst invasive species outside of its native range.
The yellowfin tuna is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.
The rainbow trout is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. The steelhead is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coastal rainbow trout(O. m. irideus) or Columbia River redband trout (O. m. gairdneri) that usually returns to freshwater to spawn after living two to three years in the ocean. Freshwater forms that have been introduced into the Great Lakes and migrate into tributaries to spawn are also called steelhead.
Arripis is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes from Australia and New Zealand, known as Australian salmon, kahawai and Australian herring. They are the only members of the family Arripidae. Despite the common name, Australian salmon are not related to the salmon family Salmonidae of the Northern Hemisphere, just as Australian herring are not related to herring of the Northern Hemisphere, but belong to the order Scombriformes of mackerel-like fishes. Australian salmon were named so by early European settlers after their superficial resemblance to salmonids.
Sea trout is the common name usually applied to anadromous (sea-run) forms of brown trout, and is often referred to as Salmo trutta morpha trutta. Other names for anadromous brown trout are bull trout, sewin (Wales), peel or peal, mort, finnock (Scotland), white trout (Ireland), Dollaghan and salmon trout (culinary).
Pelagic fish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that live on or near the bottom, and reef fish that are associated with coral reefs.
The yellowtail amberjack, yellowtail kingfish, hiramasa or great amberjack is a large fish found in the Southern Ocean. Although previously thought to be found in all oceans and seas, recent genetic analysis restricts S. lalandi proper to the Southern Hemisphere waters. However, they are found in Northern Hemisphere waters during certain times of the year. The fish was given its name by Monsieur de Lalande, a naturalist who first informed zoologist Achille Valenciennes of the existence of this species. His reason for the use of the word Seriola to name the fish is uncertain, but the second word lalandi was derived from his surname.
Hyporhamphus ihi, the known as the garfish, piper or by its Māori name takeke, is a halfbeak found all around New Zealand in shallow inshore waters.
The common thresher, also known as Atlantic thresher, is the largest species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae, reaching some 6 m (20 ft) in length. About half of its length consists of the elongated upper lobe of its caudal fin. With a streamlined body, short pointed snout, and modestly sized eyes, the common thresher resembles the pelagic thresher. It can be distinguished from the latter species by the white of its belly extending in a band over the bases of its pectoral fins. The common thresher is distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, though it prefers cooler temperatures. It can be found both close to shore and in the open ocean, from the surface to a depth of 550 m (1,800 ft). It is seasonally migratory and spends summers at lower latitudes.
Emmelichthys nitidus, the Cape bonnetmouth, bonnetmouth, redbait, pearl fish, picarel, red baitfish, red herring or Southern rover, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Emmelichthyidae, the rovers and bonnetmouths. This species is found in the Indian and Pacific oceans. This species is of minor importance to commercial fisheries.
The leopard coral grouper, also known as the common coral trout, leopard coral trout, blue-dotted coral grouper or spotted coral grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
The rainbow runner, also known as the rainbow yellowtail, Spanish jack and Hawaiian salmon, is a common species of pelagic marine fish of the jack family, Carangidae. The species is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the world, inhabiting both coastal and offshore areas. The species is the only member of the genus Elagatis, which was created 15 years after its initial description, and is closely related to the amberjacks. The rainbow runner is easily distinguished by its body shape, and the brilliant colouration which gives the fish its name. It is a fast-swimming predator, taking small fish, cephalopods, and a wide variety of planktonic crustaceans. The species reaches sexual maturity around 60 cm (24 in), and spawning takes place at different times, with some populations spawning year round, while others only spawn at certain times of the year. The species is a well known game fish, taken by a variety of fishing methods, and is a well-regarded table fish. Large numbers of the species are taken as bycatch in tuna- and shark-fishing operations and marketed.
The greater amberjack, also known as the allied kingfish, great amberfish, greater yellowtail, jenny lind, Sea donkey, purplish amberjack, reef donkey, rock salmon, sailors choice, yellowtail, and yellow trevally, is a species of predatory ray-finned fish in the family Carangidae, the jacks and pompanos. It is found in temperate, subtropical, and tropical seas around the world. It is a popular quarry species for recreational fisheries and is important in commercial fisheries. It is the largest species in the family Carangidae.
Argyrosomus japonicus is a silvery to bronze-green colored fish, a member of the family Sciaenidae, which may grow up to 2 m in length. It is known as Dusky Kob, dusky salmon, salmon, Kob and kabeljou' in South Africa, Japanese meagre (FAO), mulloway or jewfish in the eastern states of Australia, mulloway in South Australia, kingfish or river kingfish in Western Australia, Ô-nibe in Japan, and Sawwa Krokar Fish or Sawwa Machli in Pakistan. The name jewfish refers to its large otoliths, which are prized as "jewels" by some fishers.
Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small pelagic fish that feed on planktons and other small aquatic organisms. They are in turn preyed upon by various predators including larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals, this making them keystone species in their aquatic ecosystems.
The Chilean jack mackerel, sometimes called the Jurel, Inca scad or Peruvian jack mackerel, is a species of jack mackerel in the genus Trachurus of the family Carangidae. Since the 1970s, it has become one of the world's more important commercial fish species. High volumes have been harvested, but the fishery may now be in danger of collapsing.
Arripis truttacea, the Western Australian salmon, is a species of marine ray-finned fish within the genus Arripis, the only genus within the family Arripidae. It is endemic to the seas off southern Australia.
Arripis xylabion, the giant kahawai, northern kahawai or Kermadec kahawai, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, one of the four species in the genus Arripis, which is the only genus in the family Arripidae. It is endemic to the south-western Pacific Ocean.