A trout-like, cylindrical shape and crescent-shaped tail. Males are very dark with bright blue lines on the tail and often also the face, while females range from a green-brown to golden-brown colour with a more spotted appearance. Juveniles are not often seen and can be more difficult to identify. They are generally a similar colour to females, but can have transparent areas in the fins and tail that give the appearance of holes.... source: Reef Life Survey
| RLS profile v3 | |
| Behaviour: | Distinctive snake-like swimming motion. Males hold territories in areas with large brown seaweeds on which they feed. |
| Life_History: | Little information available |
| Range: | 1308.850 |
| Synonyms: | Odax cyanomelas; Odax cyanomelas [in most recent references] |
| Max_size: | 510 mm |
| Distribution: | Southern coasts of Australia from south-west to south-east. |
| Abundance: | 3.374 |
| Diet: | Large brown seaweeds |
| Depth: | 0-30 m |
| Habitat: | Rocky reef |
| IUCN_Threat_status: | Least Concern |
| similar_species: | Juveniles are similar to juvenile Heteroscarus acroptilus. Differs primarily by more elongate body shape than H. acroptilus |
| Frequency: | 25.525 |
| Invasive: | Not known to be invasive |
| Threats: | No major threats to this species are known |
| Commercial_Uses: | None, other than trivial captures for aquarium trade |
| Common_Name: | Herring cale; |
| Description: | A trout-like, cylindrical shape and crescent-shaped tail. Males are very dark with bright blue lines on the tail and often also the face, while females range from a green-brown to golden-brown colour with a more spotted appearance. Juveniles are not often seen and can be more difficult to identify. They are generally a similar colour to females, but can have transparent areas in the fins and tail that give the appearance of holes. |
| Accepted name | Source |
|---|---|
| Odax cyanomelas |
| Synonyms | Source |
|---|---|
| Olisthops cyanomelas Richardson, 1850 | |
| Published in: Richardson, J. 1850. Notices of Australian fish. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. Vol. 18 pp. 58-77 figs 1-3 | |
| Olistherops brunneus Macleay, 1879 | |
| Published in: Macleay, W.J. 1878. Descriptions of some new fishes from Port Jackson and King George's Sound. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. Ser. 1 Vol. 3 (1) pp. 33-37 pls 2-5 | |
| Olistherops brownii Johnston, 1884 | |
| Published in: Johnston, R.M. 1884. Notice of recent additions to the list of Tasmanian fishes. Pap. Proc. R. Soc. Tas. Vol. 1883 pp. 193-195 | |
| Odax nebulosus Saville-Kent, 1893 | |
| Published in: Saville-Kent, W. 1893. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia; its Products and Potentialities London : W.H. Allen pp. 388 pp. 21 figs 64 pls | |
| Common name | Source |
|---|---|
| Herring Cale |
View list of all occurrence records for this taxon
