Blue Whiptail, Pentapodus sp

A Blue Whiptail at North Solitary Island Click to enlarge image
A Blue Whiptail at a depth of 18 m North Solitary Island, New South Wales, May 2005. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Pentapodus

The Blue Whiptail occurs in tropical waters along the eastern Australian coast, with juveniles being recorded south to Sydney.

A Blue Whiptail at North Solitary Island
A Blue Whiptail at a depth of 18 m North Solitary Island, New South Wales, May 2005. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Hi Mark,

Bill Rudman said that you might be able to help me identify an unusual fish that I photographed last weekend at Fly Point (Port Stephens, New South Wales) in 15 m. He is only 1cm long. My wife and I are regular contributors to Bill's Web Site.

David Atkinson
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Hi David,

The fish is a juvenile whiptail (family Nemipteridae). Of course it is impossible to be 100% sure of the species, however your image looks very similar to the shot of a juvenile Blue Whiptail, Pentapodus sp, on page 196 of Kuiter's Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. According to Kuiter, this species is undescribed.

The Blue Whiptail occurs in tropical waters along the eastern Australian coast, with juveniles being recorded south to Sydney.

Best wishes,
Mark
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References:

  1. Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
  2. Kuiter, R.H. & H. Debelius. 2006. World Atlas of Marine Fishes. IKAN-Unterwasserarchiv. Pp. 720. (as Pentapodus cf emeryii)