Small fish I don’t recognise (Driftfish)

[Volitan]

I found this beachcast on MacMasters Beach. 

I don’t recognise it and can’t ID it.

the pectoral fin is long - almost half the body length. There are two dorsal fins, which are both long and take up most of the dorsal surface. No obvious teeth or scales. These things rule out the usual suspects like Ogilvys hardhead, sandy sprat, surf sardine, blue sprat and anything else I can see.

any ideas?

 

Edited September 30, 2018 by Volitan

[Volitan]

13 hours ago, raging said:

Did you try this wizard http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/key/family

No, I hadn’t, but following your suggestion I worked the key through and came up immediately with this

 

black cube head, a type of driftfish

Cubiceps baxteri

or a related species - it seems there are several species in Australia.

 

This is the page I ended up at

http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/family/32

It would take someone better at ID then me to be definite, though it seems a very close match on all the features I noted or photographed, and the general overall look.

thanks for the tip-off - I’d seen that key before but had forgotten about it.

 

cheers

V.

 

[frankS]

I can't ID it either. Probably something extracted from a ballast tank of an ocean liner or tanker. Could be something like a juvenile Cole fish or the like.

Frank

Edited September 25, 2018 by frankS

[New Signing]

I recognise it albeit the ones I think ive seen before were significantly larger. I'm thinking a breed of scad, maybe scaly scad or something along those lines

[mrsswordfisherman]

@Blackfish can you help with this one

[Blackfish]

Sorry there Mrs Swordy, got nuffin.

Hopefully someone will turn up with a suggestion.

[Volitan]

I sent the photo to the Australian Museum, but got an email back a couple of days later saying that due lack of resources no-one would be looking at it. Budget cuts I guess.

[Welster]

2 minutes ago, Volitan said:

I sent the photo to the Australian Museum, but got an email back a couple of days later saying that due lack of resources no-one would be looking at it. Budget cuts I guess.

Very sad hearing that.     What about sending it to Grants guide to Fishes?

[JonD]

11 minutes ago, Volitan said:

I sent the photo to the Australian Museum, but got an email back a couple of days later saying that due lack of resources no-one would be looking at it. Budget cuts I guess.

My daughter is up at the museum today behind The scenes stuff, She normally has a pretty good idea on the unusual ones, will get her on it when she gets home.

[raging]

Lanternfish?

[Volitan]

1 hour ago, raging said:

Lanternfish?

That’s a pretty good match on the body shape, but Wikipedia tells me all lantern fish have a single dorsal, so I guess not.

[raging]

Did you try this wizard http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/key/family

[Blackfish]

The people I asked also came back with "Driftfish" not 100% sure which one, though they had a guess but not certain.

So for me its a Driftfish. (They are much more cluey that I)