Longraker Trevally, Ulua mentalis (Cuvier, 1833)

Scientific name: Ulua mentalis
Alternative name/s:
Cale Cale Trevally
Longraker Trevally, <i>Ulna mentalis</i> Click to enlarge image
A Longraker Trevally, Ulua mentalis, caught on hook and line at the surface, Embley River mouth, Weipa, Queensland, May 2002. The fish was caught on a lure, cast into a school of fish feeding on the surface in water of 4m to 8m in depth. Image: R. McFayden
© R. McFayden

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Ulua
    Species
    mentalis
    Family
    Carangidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 90 cm in length.

Introduction

The Longraker Trevally is blue-green above and silvery below. It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

Identification

The Longraker Trevally has a pronounced lower jaw that extends forward beyond the upper jaw. It has long gill rakers that extend along the side of the tongue. The species is blue-green above and silvery below. Large specimens have a diffuse dark blotch on the upper margin of the operculum. The spinous dorsal and caudal fins are dusky to black. The second dorsal fin and anal fins are pale green. In young fish, the inside of the mouth is silver to white.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific. In Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to northern Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
  4. Smith-Vaniz, W.F. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem. 1999. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO. Rome Pp. iii-v, 2069-2790.