Frequently Asked Questions
Common Names of Australian Fishes - why all the confusion?
Above and below: At least 16 common names have been published for the Eastern Australian Salmon. Photo © S. Schulz.
Photo © S. Schulz.
Currently 4482 species of fishes have been described from Australian waters with approximately 300 additional species yet to be formally named. Each of these species has one accepted scientific name. This is not the case for common names, with around 13000 common names assigned to these species. Obviously, many species have more than one common name. Typifying the problem is the Eastern Australian Salmon, Arripis trutta, for which at least 16 common names have been published.
Adding to the complexity of the problem is the fact that different common names have often been used for different growth stages of a single species. The Snapper, Pagrus auratus, has been called ‘Red Bream’, ‘Squire’, ‘Snapper’ and ‘Old Man Snapper’ depending upon the size and head shape of the individual.
Recent publications (see below) have tried to solve the common name problem, initially for commercial species and more recently for all Australian fishes. The official common name used for each species is referred to as the 'standard name'.
Related links
- Standard Names of Australian Fishes (CSIRO), (Seafood Services Australia)
Further reading
- Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & R.D. Ward. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook, an identification guide to domestic species. CSIRO Marine Research. Pp. 461.
- Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & D.F. Hoese. 2006. Standard Names of Australian Fishes. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper 009. Pp. 65.
