DEPARMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND FISHERIES
Aquatic Resource Research Unit – Fisheries Research
Small Pelagic Fish and Squid
Key species
Spotted Sardine (Northern Pilchard)
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Amblygaster sirm
37085006
27 cm standard length (SL)
Distinguished by a row of spots on the side
High, population doubling less than 15 months
Indo-West Pacific; N.W. Australia to Gulf of Carpentaria and throughout S.E. Asia
Inhabits coastal waters, reef associated, depth 10 - 75 m
Not Evaluated
Small-spotted Herring
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Family Clupeidae
Family Clupeidae
Herklotsichthys lippa
37085008
16 cm SL
Distinguished by a vertical blackish blotch behind upper corner of operculum and
single row of rounded spots on the side
High, population doubling less than 15 months
Restricted distribution to northern Australia, Arafura and Timor seas.
Inhabits coastal waters
Not Evaluated
© Northern Territory Government, 2013
Page 1 of 4
Fisheries Research - Small Pelagic Fish and Squid
Goldstripe Sardinella
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Sardinella gibbosa
37085013
17 cm SL
Distinguished by thin gold-coloured strip on sides
High, population doubling less than 15 months
Indo-West Pacific; N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia
Inhabits coastal waters, reef associated, depth 10 – 70 m
Not Evaluated
Slender Sardine
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Family Clupeidae
Family Dussumieriidae
Dussumieria elopsoides
37085010
20 cm SL
No striae on posterior part of scales
High, population doubling less than 15 months
Indo-West Pacific; N.W. Australia to Gulf of Carpentaria and throughout S.E. Asia
Inhabits coastal waters, depth 0 – 50 m
Not Evaluated
© Northern Territory Government, 2013
Page 2 of 4
Fisheries Research - Small Pelagic Fish and Squid
Indian Anchovy
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Family Engraulidae
Stolephorus indicus
37086006
15.5 cm SL
Distinguished by rounded snout and broad silvery stripe on sides
High, population doubling less than 15 months
Indo-W. Pacific, found throughout the region
Inhabits coastal waters, depth 20 – 50 m
Not Evaluated
Ditchelee
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Family Pristigasteridae
Pellona ditchela
37085009
16 cm SL
No stripes on side and a dark spot behind gill cover
High, population doubling less than 15 months
Indo-W. Pacific, found throughout the region
Inhabits coastal bays and estuaries, depth 10 – 55 m
Not Evaluated
© Northern Territory Government, 2013
Page 3 of 4
Fisheries Research - Small Pelagic Fish and Squid
Mouth Mackerel
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Family Scombridae
Rastrelliger kanagurta
37441012
35 cm fork length (FL)
Distinguished by widely separate dorsal fins , narrow lines or rows of spots on the
upper part of body and black spot near lower margin of pectoral fin
High, population doubling less than 15 months
Indo-W. Pacific, found throughout the region
Inhabits coastal waters, near reefs, depth 20 - 90 m
Data deficient
Loligo Squid
Scientific Name
CAAB Code
Max length
Features
Resilience
Distribution
IUCN Red List
Family Loliginidae
Loligo species
23617907
Species dependant - ranging from 2-90cm mantle length (ML)
Loligo squids vary from short and stout to long and slender
High, estimates of growth rate and size structure of tropical cephalopod
populations suggest short life spans, of considerably less than 1 year
Worldwide, in tropical, temperate and subpolar coastal waters.
Not evaluated
Primary References
CSIRO (2013) CAAB - Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota www.cmar.csiro.au/caab
Froese R and Pauly D (2012) FishBase. www.fishbase.org
Jereb P and Roper C.F.E (2010) Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue
of cephalopod species known to date. Volume 2. Myopsid and Oegopsid Squids, FAO Species
Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 4, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO.
© Northern Territory Government, 2013
Page 4 of 4