Yellowstriped Leatherjacket, Meuschenia flavolineata (Hutchins, 1977)
Orange-tailed Leatherjacket, Yellow-tailed Leatherjacket, Yellowtail Leatherjacket
Introduction
Adult Yellowstriped Leatherjackets are black-brown to green-brown with a yellow blotch on the caudal peduncle. The species is only known from Australian waters.
Identification
Adult Yellowstriped Leatherjacket is black-brown to green-brown with a yellow blotch on the caudal peduncle. This blotch often extends forward along the side of the body as a yellow stripe in fish from Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Fish from New South Wales rarely have a stripe.
There are four spines on the caudal peduncle. In males these are curved and preceded by a patch of bristles. The spines are smaller in females and juveniles.
Distribution
It is endemic to Australia. It is recorded from coastal reefs of the central coast of New South Wales, around the south of the country and north to the central coast of Western Australia.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
References
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Hutchins, J.B. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.