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Stars and Stripes Leatherjacket
Meuschenia venusta Hutchins 1977
A Stars and Stripes Leatherjacket at a depth of 13m, "The Docks", Jervis Bay, New South Wales, March 2001. View larger image.
A Stars and Stripes Leatherjacket at a depth of 18m, Bowen Island, Jervis Bay, New South Wales, March 2001. View larger image.
The Stars and Stripes Leatherjacket has a compressed (glossary) body with a moderately shallow caudal peduncle that lacks spines, unlike some other species of leatherjackets. It has a strong first dorsal fin spine above the eye with small spines laterally.
This species is usually brown to white with distinct bands of brown spots. There is sometimes a white stripe on the lower side of the body.
The Stars and Stripes Leatherjacket grows to 21cm in length.
It is usually seen in areas of sponge greater than 20m depth (note the depths in the image captions). Juveniles are mostly found in kelp beds.
This species is endemic to (only found in) Australia. It is recorded in temperate marine waters from central New South Wales, around the south of Australia, to the central coast of Western Australia.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Hutchins, J.B. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
