Animal Species:Pencil Weed Whiting, Siphonognathus beddomei (Johnston, 1885)

Alternative Name/s

Beddome's Rock Whiting, Long-nose Weed whiting, Pygmy Rock Whiting, Pygmy Whiting, Slender Weed Whiting

Identification

The Pencil Weed Whiting is a small, slender, green to brown fish with a long snout.  Females have a white-margined spot on the caudal fin.  Males have two blue lines on the sides of the body.

Size range

The species grows to 14 cm in total length.

Similar Species

Slender Weed Whiting

Distribution

The species is endemic to Australia, occurring from eastern Victoria and Tasmania to south-western 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.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Pencil Weed Whiting specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Pencil Weed Whiting occurs in algae-covered rocky reefs in coastal waters at depths between 1 m and 20 m.

Classification

Species:

beddomei

Genus:

Siphonognathus

Subfamily:

Odacinae

Family:

Labridae

Order:

Perciformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

1. Gomon, M.F. & J.R. Paxton. 1985. A revision of the Odacidae, a temperate Australian-New Zealand labroid fish family. Indo-Pacific Fishes. 8: 1-57.
2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 15 February 2013

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Pencil Weed Whiting, Siphonognathus beddomei, Labridae, green, brown, long and skinny, 10 cm - 30 cm, countershaded, rocky reef, marine, adult,