Rainbow Runner, Elagatis bipinnulata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Scientific name: Elagatis bipinnulata
  • Updated
    19/04/21
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Rainbow Runners,<i>Elagatis bipinnulata</i> Click to enlarge image
Rainbow Runners at a depth of 16 m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, March 1997. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Elagatis
    Species
    bipinnulata
    Family
    Carangidae
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    It grows to 1.2 m in length.

Introduction

The Rainbow Runner is an elongate fish. It has a large deeply forked tail and two separate finlets behind both the dorsal and anal fins. There are no scutes on the lateral line. The species is green to blue above and white below. It has two light blue stripes on the sides separated by a wider yellow to greenish stripe.

Identification

The Rainbow Runner is an elongate fish. It has a large deeply forked tail and two separate finlets behind both the dorsal and anal fins. There are no scutes on the lateral line.

The species is green to blue above and white below. It has two light blue stripes on the sides separated by a wider yellow to greenish stripe.

Distribution

The Rainbow Runner is a pelagic species that is found in tropical and warm temperate marine waters worldwide.

In Australia it is known from south-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to southern 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.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  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. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  5. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  6. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.