Animal Species:Stout Longtom, Tylosurus gavialoides (Castelnau, 1873)

The Stout Longtom is a long slender species, coloured blue to green or grey above and silvery below. The snout and fins of adults are usually dusky. The species is endemic to Australia.

Stout Longtom, Tylosurus gavialoides

Stout Longtom, Tylosurus gavialoides
Gordon Yearsley © Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO

Alternative Name/s

Alligator Gar, Longtom, Needlefish

Identification

The Stout Longtom is a long slender species that has many needle-like teeth in its greatly elongated jaws. The dorsal and anal fins are positioned towards the rear of the body. The caudal fin is truncate although it can be weakly emarginate in adults. The fish is blue to green or grey above and silvery below. The snout and fins of adults are usually dusky.

Size range

The species grows to 1.3 m in length.

Distribution

It is endemic to Australia, occurring from south-western Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to the southern coast of New South Wales.

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

Tylosurus gavialoides

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Stout Longtom specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Stout Longtom is a pelagic species that occurs in coral reef and inshore waters.

Classification

Species:
gavialoides
Genus:
Tylosurus
Family:
Belonidae
Order:
Beloniformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Collette, B.B. Belonidae. 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.
  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. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Stout Longtom, Tylosurus gavialoides, Belonidae, long and skinny, blue, green, grey underside, silver underside, Alligator Gar, Longtom, Needlefish, Stour Longtom, > 1m, pelagic, coral reef, inshore water, marine,