Animal Species:Trumpeter Whiting, Sillago maculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1824

The Trumpeter Whiting is silver grey above, pale below and usually has a silvery stripe along the side of the body. It is endemic to Australia.

Trumpeter Whiting at the Pipeline

Trumpeter Whiting at the Pipeline
Dave Harasti © Dave Harasti

Alternative Name/s

Diver Whiting, Eastern Winter Whiting, Spotted Whiting, Trumpeter Sillago, Western Winter Whiting, Winter WhitingTrumpeter Whiting, Diver Whiting, Eastern Winter Whiting, Spotted Whiting, Trumpeter Sillago, Western Winter Whiting, Winter Whiting

Identification

The Trumpeter Whiting has a moderately elongate body and a deeply emarginate caudal fin. The short-based first dorsal fin has weak spines. The second soft-rayed dorsal fin has a longer base. The species is silver grey above, pale below and usually has a silvery stripe along the side of the body. There is a black spot on the pectoral fin base and large dark blotches on the body.

Size range

The Trumpeter Whiting grows to 30 cm in length.

Distribution

It is endemic to Australia, occurring in tropical and warm temperate marine waters from northern Queensland to southern New South Wales.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Trumpeter Whiting specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is found over sandy and silty seabeds in estuarine and inshore waters.

Classification

Species:
maculata
Genus:
Sillago
Family:
Sillaginidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. 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.
  2. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  4. McKay, R.J. 1985. A revision of the fishes of the family Sillaginidae. Memoirs of the Queenland Museum. 22(1): 1–73 figs 1–18.Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & R.D. Ward. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook, an identification guide to domestic species. CSIRO Marine Research. Pp. 461.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Trumpeter Whiting, Sillago maculata, Sillaginidae,