Animal Species:Yellowtail Scad, Trachurus novaezelandiae Richardson, 1843

The Yellowtail Scad can be recognised by its silvery colour, tinged with green or brown dorsally, and yellow tail. It is often caught from wharves by anglers.

Yellowtail Scad at Jervis Bay, New South Wales

Yellowtail Scad at Jervis Bay, New South Wales
Erik Schlögl © Erik Schlögl

Alternative Name/s

Bung, Chow, McCulloch's Yellowtail, Scad, Southern Yellowtail Scad, Yakka, Yellowtail, Yellowtail Chow, Yellowtail Horse Mackerel, Yellowtail Mackerel

Identification

The species is recognised by its silvery colour, tinged with green or brown dorsally, and yellow tail. It has a distinct dark spot on the rear margin of the operculum. It has enlarged scales, called scutes along the entire lateral line. The pectoral fin is sickle-shaped, or falcate, the caudal peduncle is very shallow and the tail is strongly forked.

Size range

The species grows to 50 cm in length but is usually seen at about 30cm.

Distribution

The Yellowtail Scad is a common schooling species of Australia's southern marine waters from Wide Bay, Queensland to north-west Cape, Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Trachurus novaezelandiae

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Yellowtail Scad specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It lives in a range of habitats from the surface to 500 m.

Economic/social impacts

The Yellowtail Scad is often caught from wharves by anglers.

Classification

Species:
novaezelandiae
Genus:
Trachurus
Family:
Carangidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F, C.J.M. Glover & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
  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.
  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. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
  5. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Ichthyology, Yellowtail Scad, Trachurus novaezelandiae, Carangidae, fishes, Bung, Chow, Scad, Southern Yellowtail Scad, Yakka, McCulloch's Yellowtail, Yellowtail, Yellowtail Chow, Yellowtail Horse Mackerel, Yellowtail Mackerel, silver, green tinge, yellow tail, dark spot, dots/spots, enlarged scales, scutes, 30 cm - 1 m, schooling species, marine,