Blue-eye Trevalla, Hyperoglyphe antarctica (Carmichael, 1818)

Scientific name: Hyperoglyphe antarctica
Alternative name/s:
Many common names have been used for this species. These include the Big Eye, Big-eye Trevalla, Blue-eye, Blue-eye Cod, Blue-nose, Bluenose Warehou, Bonita, Bream Trevalla, Deep-sea Trevalla, Griffin's Silverfish, Sea Trevally, Stoney-eye and Trevalla.
  • Updated
    25/01/21
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Blue-eye Trevalla, Hyperoglyphe antarctica Click to enlarge image
A 15.13 kg Blue-eye Trevalla caught at a depth of 350 m, off Balina, New South Wales, February 2004. Image: Ian Cameron
© Ian Cameron

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Hyperoglyphe
    Species
    antarctica
    Family
    Centrolophidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    It grows to 1.4 m in length and a weight of 36 kg.

Introduction

The Blue-eye Trevalla is a benthic species that is found on rocky seabeds in continental slope depths. Juveniles tend to be around the midwater to surface level. Highly regarded as a food fish.

Identification

The Blue-eye Trevalla is a stout bodied fish with a blunt snout and small scales. It has two dorsal fins. The first has short, stout spines, and is joined by membrane to the base of the second dorsal fin, which is higher and longer based. The pectoral fins are falcate and the caudal fin is forked. The head has many small pores.

In life, this species is bluish grey above, grading to grey below. The fins are a dark metallic grey.

Habitat

The Blue-eye Trevalla is a benthic species that is found on rocky seabeds in continental slope depths.

Distribution

It occurs circumglobally in southern temperate marine waters.

In Australia it is known from off south-western Western Australia and off southern Queensland to the central coast of Victoria and Tasmania.

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

Economic impacts

The Blue-eye Trevalla is sometimes caught by long line and trawlers. It is an excellent eating fish.

References

  1. McDowall, R.M. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
  2. McDowall, R.M. 2001 Centrolophidae. Medusafishes (ruffs, barrelfishes). in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem (Eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 6. Bony Fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles, sea turtles, sea snakes and marine mammals. FAO, Rome. Pp. iii-v, 3381-4218.
  3. Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & R.D. Ward. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook, an identification guide to domestic species. CSIRO Marine Research. Pp. 461.