The eastern school whiting, ''Sillago flindersi'' (also known as the redspot whiting and the Bass Strait whiting), is a species of

benthic The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

fish of the smelt-whiting family

Sillaginidae The Sillaginidae, commonly known as the smelt-whitings, whitings, sillaginids, sand borers and sand-smelts, are a family of benthic coastal marine fish in the order Perciformes. The smelt-whitings inhabit a wide region covering much of the Indo ...

. The eastern school whiting is endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, 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. Eastern school whiting are a major commercial species along the eastern coast of Australia, caught by

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...

vessels in the

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The strait provides the most direct waterwa ...

and as a byproduct of prawn trawling to the north. This forms a large export market to

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, with over 1400 tonnes per year caught and exported.

Taxonomy and naming

The eastern school whiting is one of 29 species in the genus '' Sillago'', which is one of three divisions of the smelt whiting family

. The smelt-whitings are Perciformes in the

suborder Order ( la, ordo) is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and ...

Percoidea. 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. The Eastern school whiting was long thought to be

synonymous A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

with the closely related species ''

Sillago bassensis The southern school whiting, ''Sillago bassensis'', (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 distr ...

'', 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 In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

, thus erecting ''Sillago bassensis flindersi'' for the eastern subspecies and ''Sillago bassensis bassensis'' for the western subspecies. 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

sympatric In biology, two related species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus frequently encounter one another. An initially interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species sh ...

ally in Bass Strait. The binomial name of the species was named in honour of the explorer Captain

Matthew Flinders Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British navigator and cartographer who led the first inshore circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then called New Holland. He is also credited as being the first person to u ...

, who circumnavigated and extensively mapped the coastline of Australia. The various

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

s 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''. This has not affected ''S. flindersi'', which is still named the 'eastern school whiting' in recognition that it inhabits the east coast of

. 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 A strait is an oceanic landform connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ocean channe ...

between the Victorian and Tasmanian coastlines, where large quantities of the species are taken in trawls.

Description

As with most of the genus ''Sillago'', the eastern school whiting has a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...

, 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. The first dorsal fin has 11 spines and the second dorsal fin has 1 leading spine with 16 to 18

soft rays Fish anatomy is the study of the form or morphology of fish. It can be contrasted with fish physiology, which is the study of how the component parts of fish function together in the living fish. In practice, fish anatomy and fish physiology co ...

posterior. The

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

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 The lateral line, also called the lateral line organ (LLO), is a system of sensory organs found in fish, used to detect movement, vibration, and pressure gradients in the surrounding water. The sensory ability is achieved via modified epithelial ...

scales and a total of 32 to 34 vertebrae. The species has a known maximum length of 33 cm. The

swim bladder The swim bladder, gas bladder, fish maw, or air bladder is an internal gas-filled Organ (anatomy), organ that contributes to the ability of many bony fish (but not cartilaginous fish) to control their buoyancy, and thus to stay at their curren ...

morphology is nearly identical to that of ''S. bassensis'', shaped by a short, blunt

anterior Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

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. 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 Longitudinal is a geometric term of location which may refer to: * Longitude ** Line of longitude, also called a meridian * Longitudinal engine, an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, ...

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.

Distribution and habitat

Due to the similarity between the eastern and southern school whitings, the exact

range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...

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 and possibly westward to South Australia.

Anxious Bay Anxious Bay is a bay in the Australian state of South Australia located on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula about west north-west of Adelaide. It was named by Matthew Flinders on 21 February 1802. It is one of four ‘historic bays’ loca ...

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. Unlike most other species of sillaginids, the eastern school whiting is primarily an offshore species, inhabiting waters on the

continental shelf A continental shelf is a portion of a continent that is submerged under an area of relatively shallow water, known as a shelf sea. Much of these shelves were exposed by drops in sea level during glacial periods. The shelf surrounding an island ...

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. They prefer clean sandy substrates, rarely occupying silty or seagrass beds and have never been found in

estuarine An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...

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.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.

Biology

Diet

The average diet of eastern school whiting consists mainly of various crustaceans, principally amphipods, decapods, mysidaceans and

copepod Copepods (; meaning "oar-feet") are a group of small crustaceans found in nearly every freshwater and saltwater habitat (ecology), habitat. Some species are planktonic (inhabiting sea waters), some are benthos, benthic (living on the ocean floor) ...

s. Polychaetes made up a small proportion of the diet, certainly much less than most co occurring sillaginids. 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 Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...

in the genus ''

Callianassa ''Callianassa'' is a genus of mud shrimps, in the family Callianassidae. Three of the species in this genus ('' C. candida'', '' C. tyrrhena'' and '' C. whitei'') have been split off into a new genus, '' Pestarella'', while others such as '' Ca ...

'' 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.

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. 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, which occurs between October and January, with two spawning periods identified in populations occurring in

.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. 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.

Relationship to humans

The eastern school whiting is primarily a target of

commercial fishermen The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products. It is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization as including ...

operating offshore

s and trawls, with recreational catches generally rare. The exception occurs when large amounts of the species have been taken by

angler Angler may refer to: * A fisherman who uses the fishing technique of angling * ''Angler'' (video game) * The angler, ''Lophius piscatorius'', a monkfish * More generally, any anglerfish in the order Lophiiformes * '' Angler: The Cheney Vice Presi ...

s as large schools pass through shallow waters along the coast. Two major

fisheries Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

exist for the species, one in

, the other in Southern Queensland. The Bass Strait fishery is dominated by

seine vessels which take over 90% of the catch. 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. 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

. This fishery was worth over 2.5 million Australian dollars in 1986.

References

External links

Eastern school whiting at FishbaseCompleat Angler page
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2631764 Sillaginidae Taxa named by Roland J. McKay Fish described in 1985