Western school sillago (Sillago bassensis)

Scientific name: Sillago bassensis Cuvier, 1829

Western school sillago (Sillago bassensis)

The Western school sillago (Sillago bassensis) is a marine fish of the family Sillaginidae.

Biology

Live close to the sea bed over sandy substrates. Occur in the surf zone of beaches and quiet waters of bays and sandbanks. Are trawled in offshore waters to at least 55 m and possibly deeper. Juveniles may be found in shallow water off white sand beaches, together with accumulations of dead seaweed in the surf zone during spring and summer in Western Australia. Move into shallow waters in large schools during full moon. Feed mainly on crustaceans, amphipods, decapods, mysids and copepods. Juveniles consume mostly copepods. Oviparous, and are multiple spawners with asynchronous development.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Sillago bassensis
Family
Sillaginidae (Smelt-whitings)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
33.0
Depth range
60 m (197 ft)
Environment
Marine; demersal; oceanodromous; depth range ? - 60 m
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean: Endemic to southern regions of the Australian continental shelf. Distribution ranges from Kangaroo Island in South Australia to Geraldton in Western Australia. Report from Western Victoria is erroneous. Not yet recorded from western Tasmania.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.26-0.29)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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