Pinkbreast Siphonfish, Siphamia roseigaster (Ogilby, 1886)

Scientific name: Siphamia roseigaster
Alternative name/s:
Silver Siphonfish
Pinkbreast Siphonfish, Siphamia roseigaster Click to enlarge image
A Pinkbreast Siphonfish caught at a depth of 6 m, Iluka Marina on the north side of the Clarence River, New South Wales, 6 December 2002. The fish is now registered in the Australian Museum fish collection (AMS I.41858-011) Image: Mark McGrouther
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Siphamia
    Species
    roseigaster
    Family
    Apogonidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    It grows to about 7.5 cm in length.

Introduction

The Pinkbreast Siphonfish is an Australian endemic species.

Identification

It has a silvery light organ that extends from the belly, along the anal fin base to the caudal peduncle. Black lines are sometimes present on the anal fin and dorsal fins.

Habitat

It lives in estuaries, usually in muddy, rocky areas.

Distribution

The species occurs from north-western Western Australia to Cape York and from the central Queensland coast to around Sydney on the east coast.

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

  1. 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.
  2. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.