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Eastern Australian Salmon
Arripis trutta (Forster, 1801)
Above and below: Part of a school of several hundred Eastern Australian Salmon at a depth of 5 m, Shellharbour, Bass Point, New South Wales, March 2004. View larger image. Photo: S. Schulz.
The Eastern Australian Salmon has a moderately elongate body with a long based dorsal fin and a large forked caudal fin. It has small eyes and a relatively large mouth.
This species is silvery below and darker above. The small pectoral fins are yellowish.
It grows to 89 cm in length.
It is a schooling species. Juveniles are usually seen in bays and estuaries. Adults are found in coastal waters where they feed on zooplankton and fishes.
The Eastern Australian Salmon occurs over sandy seabeds in temperate Australian and New Zealand waters.
In Australia it is known from southern Queensland to Tasmania.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
The Eastern Australian Salmon is also known as the Australian Salmon, Bay Trout, Black Back, Buck Salmon, Cocky Salmon, Colonial Salmon and Kahawai.
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
