General Description

Body very long and slender. Lower jaw long, slender and bill-like, upper jaw short. The dorsal and anal fins are short-based near the tail. The lower lobe of the tail fin is longer than the upper lobe. Body pale greenish above, silvery-white below with three narrow dark streaks along the front part of their back and a broad silver stripe from the edge of the gill cover to the base of the tail. Beak tip orange-red. Fins are yellowish with a black spot at the base of the pectoral fin. Body up to 35 cm including the beak.

Biology

River Garfish are taken by commercial fishers and recreational anglers, mostly in estuaries. Spawning occurs between July and December. Their eggs are large and attached to vegetation.

Distribution

Eastern and western Australia.

Habitat

Surface waters along the coast, estuaries, bays, coastal lakes and in the lower parts of rivers, often near eel-grass and seagrass beds.

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