Eastern school whiting

Eastern school whiting
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Spariformes
Family:	Sillaginidae
Genus:	Sillago
Species:	S. flindersi
Binomial name
	Sillago flindersi; McKay, 1985
	Range of the Eastern school whiting
Synonyms
	S. bassensis flindersiMcKay, 1985;

Last updated October 24, 2023

The eastern school whiting (Sillago flindersi), also known as the redspot whiting, Bass Strait whiting, Flinders' sillago, silver whiting or spotted whiting, is a species of benthic marine fish of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The eastern school whiting is endemic to Australia, distributed along the east coast from southern Queensland down to Tasmania and South Australia, where it inhabits sandy substrates from shallow tidal flats to depths of 180 m on the continental shelf. Eastern school whiting prey on various crustaceans and polychaete worms, with the diet varying seasonally and throughout the range of the species. Eastern school whiting reproduce in the deeper waters twice a year, releasing up to 110,000 eggs during a season.

Taxonomy and naming

The eastern school whiting is one of over 30 species in the genus Sillago ,^[1] which is one of five genera belonging to the smelt whiting family Sillaginidae, this family was previously considered to be part of the Percoidea, a suborder of the Perciformes.^[2] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the Sillaginidae in the order Spariformes.^[3] The eastern school whiting belongs to the subgenus Parasillago, which is one of three subgenera erected during a comprehensive review of the Sillaginidae in 1985 by McKay.^[2]

The Eastern school whiting was long thought to be synonymous with the closely related species Sillago bassensis , the southern school whiting, with this relationship first applied in 1892 by Cohen. It took until 1985 before McKay identified two distinct forms of Sillago bassensis, which he believed to subspecies, thus erecting Sillago bassensis flindersi for the eastern subspecies and Sillago bassensis bassensis for the western subspecies.^[2] These subspecies were formally promoted to separate species status in 1992, during a second review of the family by McKay after the two species were found to occur sympatrically in Bass Strait.^[4] The binomial name of the species was named in honour of the explorer Captain Matthew Flinders, who circumnavigated and extensively mapped the coastline of Australia.^[2]

The various common names of the so-called 'school whitings' is complicated, with the original use of western and eastern school whiting to describe S. bassensis and S. flindersi affected by the naming of a third species of school whiting; Sillago vittata .^[5] This has not affected S. flindersi, which is still named the 'eastern school whiting' in recognition that it inhabits the east coast of Australia. The local name of 'red-spot whiting' refers to the diagonal lines of red spots present on the fish's upper side. The rarely used name of 'Bass Straight whiting' refers to oceanic strait between the Victorian and Tasmanian coastlines, where large quantities of the species are taken in trawls.^[4]

Description

As with most of the genus Sillago, the eastern school whiting has a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal mouth, with the body covered in small ctenoid scales extending to the cheek and head. The most reliable features for distinguishing the species are the number of fins spines and rays and the shape of the swim bladder.^[2] The first dorsal fin has 11 spines and the second dorsal fin has 1 leading spine with 16 to 18 soft rays posterior. The anal fin is similar to the second dorsal fin, but has 2 spines with 18 to 20 soft rays posterior to the spines. Other distinguishing features include 69 to 76 lateral line scales and a total of 32 to 34 vertebrae. The species has a known maximum length of 33 cm.^[4]

The swim bladder morphology is nearly identical to that of S. bassensis, shaped by a short, blunt anterior median projection with no posterior projection. Swim bladder morphology is useless for distinguishing between this species and S. bassensis, with the external colour the most reliable method.^[4]

The eastern school whiting has a pale sandy colour on top with a silvery white below and an olive brown-pink head with blue and yellow tinges. A series of obliquely positioned rusty brown bars are positioned on the back and upper sides, with a longitudinal row of rusty brown blotches along the mid-lateral silver stripe. There is no dark spot at the base of the hyaline-yellow pectoral fin. The first, spinous dorsal fin is hyaline with a dusting of red spots, while the second dorsal fin is hyaline and each ray having a sprinkling of 4-5 red spots. The ventral and anal fins are also hyaline, with the anal fin having yellow to orange rays with white margins. The coloration is very similar to S. bassensis but differs in that the oblique bars are wider, more regular and without the appearance of effused dots or spots, as well as lacking the mid-lateral blotches.^[6]

Distribution and habitat

Due to the similarity between the eastern and southern school whitings, the exact range of this species is not confidently known, with current sources stating that it ranges from southern Queensland south to New South Wales, Victoria, eastern Tasmania ^[5] and possibly westward to South Australia. Anxious Bay is the westernmost report of the species, although due to the confusion between the two species this is thought to have been a misidentification of S. bassensis, with S. flindersi not considered to inhabit South Australia by most authorities.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Unlike most other species of sillaginids, the eastern school whiting is primarily an offshore species, inhabiting waters on the continental shelf down to depths of 180m, rarely seen in shallower waters. The species is known to inhabit surf zones and to congregate around coastal lakes, particularly during February and March.^[2] They prefer clean sandy substrates, rarely occupying silty or seagrass beds and have never been found in estuarine waters. Genetic analysis has shown that migration does not occur in the species, instead they tend to remain in the same area throughout their life cycle.^[8]

Biology

Diet

The average diet of eastern school whiting consists mainly of various crustaceans, principally amphipods, decapods, mysidaceans and copepods. Polychaetes made up a small proportion of the diet, certainly much less than most co occurring sillaginids.^[9] Like many fish species, diet varies significantly with fish size, geographical location and season. Fish in the 0–10 cm group consume mainly copepods, while 11–20 cm fish ate mainly shrimp in the genus Callianassa and amphipods. Many of the food items of the species vary in range, as well as seasonal abundance, therefore having an impact on the diets of different groups of fish.^[9]

Life cycle

Both sexes of the eastern school whiting reach sexual maturity at around 170 mm in size and 2 years of age, with males reaching maturity slightly before females.^[10] Once at sexual maturity, they move offshore into deeper waters to over 180 m in depth where they remain and spawn. Females produce between 30 000 and 110 000 eggs per season,^[11] which occurs between October and January, with two spawning periods identified in populations occurring in Bass Strait.^[12] The females of the species are reported to live to 7 years of age and males 6 years, reaching a maximum known size of 33 cm.^[11]

Relationship to humans

The eastern school whiting is primarily a target of commercial fishermen operating offshore seines and trawls, with recreational catches generally rare. The exception occurs when large amounts of the species have been taken by anglers as large schools pass through shallow waters along the coast.^[2]

Two major fisheries exist for the species, one in Bass Strait, the other in Southern Queensland. The Bass Strait fishery is dominated by Danish seine vessels which take over 90% of the catch.^[11] This fishery has expanded markedly in recent years, with catches prior to 1970 less than 270 tonnes per year, having risen to over 1400 tonnes per year in 1993. The Queensland fishery is relatively new, developed after a population of eastern school whiting was found by trawlers.^[11] A number of smaller fisheries are due to bycatch of prawn trawlers along the range of the species. The Queensland and smaller fisheries form the basis of a lucrative export market whereby whole frozen fish are shipped to Thailand where they are processed and sent to Japan. This fishery was worth over 2.5 million Australian dollars in 1986.^[2]

Related Research Articles

The Sillaginidae, commonly known as the smelt-whitings, whitings, sillaginids, sand borers and sand-smelts, are a family of benthic coastal marine fish historically classified in the order Perciformes, although the 5th edition of Fishes of the World places the family in the Spariformes. The smelt-whitings inhabit a wide region covering much of the Indo-Pacific, from the west coast of Africa east to Japan and south to Australia. The family comprises only five genera and 35 species, of which a number are dubious, with the last major revision of the family in 1992 unable to confirm the validity of a number of species. They are elongated, slightly compressed fish, often light brown to silver in colour, with a variety of markings and patterns on their upper bodies. The Sillaginidae are not related to a number of fishes commonly called 'whiting' in the Northern Hemisphere, including the fish originally called whiting, Merlangius merlangus.

The golden lined whiting, also known as the Tin Can Bay whiting or rough-scale whiting, is a species of inshore marine fish of the smelt whiting family, Sillaginidae that inhabits the coastlines of northern Australia and lower Papua New Guinea. The golden lined whiting can be more readily distinguished by its colour than other whitings in the genus Sillago, although swim bladder morphology and spine and ray counts are the most precise method of identification. S. analis is an opportunistic predator, taking a variety of crustaceans, polychaetes and molluscs, with a transition of diet seen as the fish mature. One unusual aspect about the species diet is the large amounts of molluscan siphons it takes. The species spawns between January and March, with juvenile fish inhabiting the shallow protected coastal waters. Golden lined whiting is important to fisheries centered on Shark Bay in Western Australia and also in Queensland, although makes up a relatively minor component of the whiting fishery.

The slender whiting is a poorly known species of inshore marine fish of the smelt whiting family, Sillaginidae that has a distribution limited to the Persian Gulf only. The Slender whiting, like most sillaginids requires careful study to determine its identity, with ray and vertebrae counts as well as swim bladder morphology distinguishing features. This inshore species of fish is commonly taken by fishermen using beach seines and is sold fresh in local markets.

The southern school whiting ,also known as the silver whiting or trawl whiting, is a common species of coastal marine fish of the smelt-whiting family that inhabits the south and south-west coasts of Australia. Its distribution overlaps a number of other common sillaginids, with careful observation of anatomical features occasionally needed to distinguish between species. The southern school whiting is closely related to the eastern school whiting, Sillago flindersi, and initially were thought to be all one species. The species inhabits both shallow inshore sandy waters, as well as deeper offshore waters, with a transition of habitats occurring with increasing age. It is a predatory fish, taking a variety of crustaceans, polychaetes and bivalves as prey. It reaches sexual maturity at three years of age, and spawns multiple times between December and April. The southern school whiting is commonly caught by commercial and recreational fishermen, often while fishing for related species, especially the sought after King George whiting. The species is marketed fresh in southern Australia.

The western trumpeter whiting is a species of marine fish of the smelt whiting family Sillaginidae that is commonly found along the northern coast of Australia and in southern Indonesia and New Guinea. As its name suggests, it is closely related to and resembles the trumpeter whiting which inhabits the east coast of Australia and is distinguishable by swim bladder morphology alone. The species inhabits a variety of sandy, silty and muddy substrates in depths from 0 to 15 m deep, with older fish inhabiting deeper waters. Western trumpeter whiting are benthic carnivores which take predominantly crustaceans and polychaetes as prey. The species reaches sexual maturity at the end of its first year of age, spawning in batches between December and February. The species is taken as bycatch with other species of whiting and shrimps in Australia.

The sand whiting, also known as the summer whiting, yellowfin whiting or blue-nose whiting, is a common species of coastal marine fish of the family Sillaginidae, the smelt-whitings. It is a slender, slightly compressed fish that is very similar to other species of Sillago, with detailed spine, ray and lateral line scale counts needed to distinguish the species between its nearest relative Sillago analis. The sand whiting is distributed along the east coast of Australia from Cape York south to Tasmania, as well as Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean.

The Indian whiting is a poorly known species of coastal marine fish of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The species was named in 1985, having previously being misidentified as another species of Sillago, S. parvisquamis. The Indian whiting inhabits the east and west coasts of the Indian subcontinent, apparently not extending to the southern tip of India. Like all sillaginids, it is benthic in nature, living in depths to 30 m where it is caught by fishermen alongside other species of Sillago.

The bay whiting is a species of coastal marine fish of the smelt-whiting family, Sillaginidae. The bay whiting's range extends throughout the west Indian Ocean, including northern Australia, Thailand, India and Taiwan, where it inhabits protected waters. It is benthic in nature, preying on shrimps, polychaetes and molluscs, however little else is known of its biology. Bay whiting are an important part of some inshore fisheries around Australia and Asia, where subsistence and commercial fishermen regularly take the species.

The Japanese whiting, also known as the Japanese sillago or Shiro-gisu, is a common species of coastal marine fish belonging to the smelt-whiting family, Sillaginidae. As suggested by its name, the Japanese whiting was first recorded from Japan in 1843, but has subsequently been found to extend to Korea, China and Taiwan.

The mud whiting, or mud sillago, is a species of coastal marine fish in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The mud whiting was first described in 1985 and is currently known from the north west coast of Australia and the Indian coast.

The large-scale whiting the only member of the genus Sillaginops, is a poorly understood species of coastal marine fish of the smelt- whiting family Sillaginidae. First described in 1859, the large-scale whiting is known to inhabit shallow waters along the coasts of a number of Indo-Pacific countries including Japan, Indonesia, Philippines and the Solomon Islands. Little is known of the species biology, even though it is of minor importance to fisheries throughout its range.

The trumpeter whiting, also known as the winter whiting or diver whiting, is a common species of coastal marine fish of the smelt-whiting family, Sillaginidae. The trumpeter whiting is endemic to Australia, inhabiting the eastern seaboard from southern New South Wales to northern Queensland. The species is found in bays, estuaries, coastal lakes and mangrove creeks on silty and muddy substrates in waters ranging from 0 to 30 m deep, occasionally inhabiting sandy and seagrass beds.

The small-eyed whiting is a poorly known species of coastal marine fish of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The species is known from only two specimens; the holotype collected by Roland McKay in 1985 from a Taipei market, both specimens of which were taken from the waters of Taiwan. Apart from a relatively small eye size, the species is hard to distinguish from other common species of sillaginid taken in the area, and may be a minor part of local fisheries.

The northern whiting, also known as the silver whiting and sand smelt, is a marine fish, the most widespread and abundant member of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The northern whiting was the first species of sillaginid scientifically described and is therefore the type species of both the family Sillaginidae and the genus Sillago. The species is distributed in the Indo-Pacific region from South Africa in the west to Japan and Indonesia in the east. The northern whiting inhabits coastal areas to 60 m, but is most often found in shallow water around bays and estuaries, often entering freshwater. It is a carnivore, taking a variety of polychaetes and crustaceans. The species is of major economic importance throughout the Indo-Pacific. It is most frequently taken by seine nets and cast nets and marketed fresh.

The small-scale whiting, also known as the blue whiting, is a species of inshore marine fish of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The small-scale whiting is very similar in body shape and colour to other species in the genus Sillago, but is distinguished by having 12 or 13 spines in the first dorsal fin compared to 11 in all other species. The species is distributed through parts of the west Pacific Ocean including Japan, Taiwan, Korea and India, inhabiting the tidal flats of major estuaries. It is a benthic predator taking crustaceans, molluscs and annelids. Spawning in the species takes place from May to September, with peaks identified in June and July. The eggs and larvae have been extensively studied in order to distinguish them from the more abundant Sillago sihama. Minor fisheries exist for the small-scale whiting, although it is thought be endangered by habitat loss and pollutionIUCN.

The soringa whiting, also known simply as soringa or soringa sillago, is a poorly known species of coastal marine fish of the smelt-whiting family, Sillaginidae. The Soringa whiting is known exclusively from the east coast of India, inhabiting shallow inshore environments, particularly sandy substrates. S. soringa was first described in 1982 by Dutt and Sujatha, with the taxonomic status of the species was questioned by Roland McKay in his review of the Sillaginidae, with similar features to S. asiatica suggesting it is a senior synonym of the latter.

The estuarine whiting, also known as Vincent's whiting, is a species of benthic inshore marine fish of the smelt-whiting family, Sillaginidae. The estuarine whiting is very similar in appearance to the northern whiting, Sillago sihama, and as such was mistaken for the latter until 1980, when R.J. McKay identified the species based primarily on swimbladder morphology. The estuarine whiting is distributed along both the east and west coasts of India, primarily inhabiting the muddy substrates of estuaries. The species is locally important to fisheries in India, and is recognized as having aquaculture potential.

The western school whiting, also known as the banded whiting, golden whiting and bastard whiting, is a species of benthic marine fish in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The species is one of three 'school whiting' that inhabit southern Australia and share a very similar appearance. Western school whiting are known to grow to 30 cm in length and 275 g in weight, although unconfirmed reports suggest this might be an underestimate. The western school whiting is distributed along the Western Australian coast from Maud Landing in the north to Rottnest Island in the south. The species inhabits both shallow inshore environments and waters to depths of 55 m. The species is a benthic predator, taking a variety of crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms, and shows a change in diet with age and habitat. S. vittata is a multiple spawner, reproducing between December and February once it has reached one or two years of age. Juveniles inhabit protected inshore waters, moving offshore once they reach sexual maturity. It is often found in association with other sillaginids and comprises a minor fraction of commercial whiting catches in Western Australia.

The stout whiting, also known as the yellow-cheek whiting or school whiting, is a species of benthic marine fish in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. Like other sillaginids, it is an elongate, slightly compressed fish, growing to a maximum known length of 30 cm. The stout whiting is endemic to Australia, with the species divided into western and eastern populations, with the western population ranging from Shark Bay to Fremantle and the eastern population from Bustard Head, Queensland to northern New South Wales. The species inhabits deep, sandy continental shelf regions to a depth of at least 70 m.

The Chinese sillago is a species of inshore marine fish in the smelt whiting family Sillaginidae, described in 2011. The species is known only to inhabit the coastal waters of China, primarily in estuarine tidal flats near Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. The Chinese sillago was described in 2011 based on morphological and DNA barcode analysis of several specimens. Several detailed anatomic features distinguish it from other sillaginids, with Sillago parvisquamis its closest relative based on phylogenetic analysis. Nothing is known of the ecology or importance to fisheries of the Chinese sillago.

References

↑ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2023). Species of Sillago in FishBase . June 2023 version.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McKay, R.J. (1985). "A Revision of the Fishes of the Family Silaginidae". Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 22 (1): 1–73.
↑ Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 502–506. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN 2015037522. OCLC 951899884. OL 25909650M.
1 2 3 4 McKay, R.J. (1992). FAO Species Catalogue: Vol. 14. Sillaginid Fishes Of The World. Rome: Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations. pp. 19–20. ISBN 92-5-103123-1.
1 2 3 Hutchins, B.; Swainston, R. (1986). Sea Fishes of Southern Australia: Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Melbourne: Swainston Publishing. p. 187. ISBN 1-86252-661-3.
1 2 Kuiter, R.H. (1993). Coastal fishes of south-eastern Australia. U.S.A: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 1-86333-067-4.
↑ Hosese, D.F.; Bray, D.J.; Paxton, J.R.; Alen, G.R. (2007). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol. 35 (2) Fishes. Sydney: CSIRO. p. 1126. ISBN 978-0-643-09334-8.
↑ Dixon, P.I., R.H. Crozier, M. Black and A. Church. (1987) Stock identification and discrimination of commercially important whitings in Australian waters using genetic criteria (FIRTA 83/16). Centre for Marine Science, University of New South Wales. 69 p. Appendices 1-10.
1 2 Burchmore, J.J.; D. A. Pollard; M. J. Middleton; J. D. Bell; B. C. Pease (1988). "Biology of Four Species of Whiting (Pisces : Sillaginidae) in Botany Bay, New South Wales". Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 39 (6): 709–727. doi:10.1071/MF9880709.
↑ Hyndes, G.A.; I.C. Potter (1997). "Age, growth and reproduction of Sillago schomburgkii in south-western Australian, nearshore waters and comparisons of life history styles of a suite of Sillago species". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 49 (4): 435–447. doi:10.1023/A:1007357410143.
1 2 3 4 Kailola, P.J.; M.J Williams; R.E. Stewart (1993). Australian fisheries resources. Canberra: Bureau of Resource Sciences. ISBN 0-642-18876-9.
↑ Hobday, D.K. & J.W.J. Wankowski. 1987. School whiting Sillago bassensis flindersi: reproduction and fecundity in eastern Bass Strait, Australia. Internal Report No. 153, Victorian Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands, Fisheries Division, Queenscliffe. 24 pp.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Fishbase2-1] Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2023). Species of Sillago in FishBase . June 2023 version.

[McKay1985-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McKay, R.J. (1985). "A Revision of the Fishes of the Family Silaginidae". Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 22 (1): 1–73.

[Nelson5-3] Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 502–506. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN 2015037522. OCLC 951899884. OL 25909650M.

[McKayFAO-4] 1 2 3 4 McKay, R.J. (1992). FAO Species Catalogue: Vol. 14. Sillaginid Fishes Of The World. Rome: Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations. pp. 19–20. ISBN 92-5-103123-1.

[Hutchins-5] 1 2 3 Hutchins, B.; Swainston, R. (1986). Sea Fishes of Southern Australia: Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Melbourne: Swainston Publishing. p. 187. ISBN 1-86252-661-3.

[Kuiter-6] 1 2 Kuiter, R.H. (1993). Coastal fishes of south-eastern Australia. U.S.A: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 1-86333-067-4.

[Zoocat-7] Hosese, D.F.; Bray, D.J.; Paxton, J.R.; Alen, G.R. (2007). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol. 35 (2) Fishes. Sydney: CSIRO. p. 1126. ISBN 978-0-643-09334-8.

[dixon-8] Dixon, P.I., R.H. Crozier, M. Black and A. Church. (1987) Stock identification and discrimination of commercially important whitings in Australian waters using genetic criteria (FIRTA 83/16). Centre for Marine Science, University of New South Wales. 69 p. Appendices 1-10.

[botany-9] 1 2 Burchmore, J.J.; D. A. Pollard; M. J. Middleton; J. D. Bell; B. C. Pease (1988). "Biology of Four Species of Whiting (Pisces : Sillaginidae) in Botany Bay, New South Wales". Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 39 (6): 709–727. doi:10.1071/MF9880709.

[10] Hyndes, G.A.; I.C. Potter (1997). "Age, growth and reproduction of Sillago schomburgkii in south-western Australian, nearshore waters and comparisons of life history styles of a suite of Sillago species". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 49 (4): 435–447. doi:10.1023/A:1007357410143.

[Kailola-11] 1 2 3 4 Kailola, P.J.; M.J Williams; R.E. Stewart (1993). Australian fisheries resources. Canberra: Bureau of Resource Sciences. ISBN 0-642-18876-9.

[12] Hobday, D.K. & J.W.J. Wankowski. 1987. School whiting Sillago bassensis flindersi: reproduction and fecundity in eastern Bass Strait, Australia. Internal Report No. 153, Victorian Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands, Fisheries Division, Queenscliffe. 24 pp.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]