© Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia Full citation Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia: Volume 1 - Bony and Cartilaginous Fishes. Report for the South Australian Working Group for Marine Species of Conservation Concern. J. Baker (consultant); Science and Conservation Division, and Coast and Marine Conservation branches of S.A. Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH); Marine and Coastal Community Network of S.A. (MCCN), and Threatened Species Network (TSN). Web version published by Reef Watch, South Australia.

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CLINIDAE / OPHICLINIDAE: SNAKE-BLENNIES and EEL-BLENNIES

© John Lewis

The Clinidae family, which is mainly temperate in distribution and found in both the southern and northern hemispheres, currently contains around 26 genera and 87 named species (Froese and Pauly, 2008), if the snake-blennies and eel-blennies are also included with the weedfishes. Some authors assign the Snake-blennies (the genera Ophiclinus and Ophiclinops), Eel-blennies / Eel Snake Blennies (genus Peronedys) and the Crawlers (genus Sticharium), to a separate family, the Ophiclinidae; however it is noted that the Ophiclinidae is not recognised by Nelson (2006) or by the Australian Faunal Directory (Hoese et al., 2006).
Members of the Clinidae are strongly site-associated in coastal areas of seagrass and macroalgae. Members of the family are viviparous (bear live young) (Gunn and Thresher, 1991), and therefore reproduce at a local, site-associated level, and have low dispersive ability, characteristics that can increase vulnerability to processes causing population decline. Kelleher et al. (1995) mentioned that this characteristic within the Clinidae of breeding live young, accounts for much of the endemism in this group of fish in southern Australia. A study in Tasmania of 12 species of Clinids (Gunn and Thresher, 1991) showed that in addition to viviparity, 9 of the 12 species were also “super-foetate” (whereby multiple batches of egg and/or embryos develop simultaneously). After parturition, the larvae spend from 3 to 7 weeks in the plankton, primarily in inshore waters, and after settlement, growth is rapid. In the Tasmanian study, most of the reproductive populations consisted of fishes in the 1+ year-class (Gunn and Thresher, 1991).
Two studies have shown that adult populations of some Clinid species are subject to significant variability in structure from year to year, due to massive fluctuations in the settlement of post-larvae both within and between years (e.g. Thresher et al., 1989; Neira and Sporcic, 2002). The causes of the fluctuations are typically attributed to variation in some element of the planktonic environment, which determines the distribution and rates of survival of the larvae. For example, Thresher et al. (1989) study showed that over a three-year period, pulses of settlement of a species of Heteroclinus were invariably preceded by brief, irregularly occurring peaks of phytoplankton production. The lag time was consistent with a "critical period" hypothesis, in which settlement rates are determined by irregular variation in the availability of food for newborn larvae.
In the Clinidae, there are numerous species (and probably forms within species) that occur in South Australia, many of which are considered to be common and widespread, particularly in seagrass-lined bays. Previously, at least 25 species were recognised in the genus Heteroclinus, around 20 of those occurring on the south coast of Australia (Kuiter, 1996b), and it is likely that more exist. The ophiclinid genera Ophiclinus and Ophiclinops, whose members are known only known from Australia’s south coast (Kuiter, 1996b), comprise at least six and three known species respectively.
The following are examples of the more common and/or widespread ophiclinids and clinids that occur in southern Australia (including South Australia):
Black-Backed (Blackback) Snake-Blenny Ophiclinus gracilis: Abundant in shallow coastal waters of southern Australia, and occurs from Sydney N.S.W., through Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia (e.g. Gulf St Vincent; Kangaroo Island; Yorke Peninsula; islands in the eastern Great Australian Bight, and other locations), and W.A. (to Jurien Bay) (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986; Kuiter, 1983; Kuiter, 1996a; Edgar, 2000; S.A. Museum data, cited by R. Foster, pers. comm., 2007). O. gracilis is a widespread species, common in bays in the Melbourne region and other sheltered habitats, under rocks and in rock pools (e.g. in N.S.W., Griffiths et al., 2004), in decaying vegetation, and often in silty environments (Kuiter, 1996a), and sites with large accumulations of macroalgae debris (Edgar, 2000). Depth range is from the intertidal down to around 10m (Edgar, 2000). The genetic sequence of DNA in O. gracilis has been determined (by C. Stepien), and published in NCBI GenBank Sequence Data Base.
Southern Crested Weedfish (Crested Weedfish) Cristiceps australis: The species has a southern Australian distribution, from southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria (where the species is commonly recorded in Western Port Bay and Discover Bay, amongst other locations – Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria, 1996; P. Arnold, pers. comm., cited by Plummer, 2003), Tasmania, S.A. and W.A. (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986 and 2001). Kuiter (1993) and Edgar (2000) also include southern Queensland in the distribution. In S.A., the species has been regularly recorded in the Barker Inlet region (e.g. Jackson and Jones, 1999), and also from various locations on Kangaroo Island, particularly the north-eastern bays (e.g. Australian Museum, 2002i; South Australian Museum data, 2006).  The species is extremely variable in colour and pattern (due to camouflage in macroalgae and seagrass). Crested Weedfish inhabits coastal subtidal areas, and is found in macroalgae and seagrass (Edgar, 2000) (i.e. “virtually anywhere with weeds” – Kuiter, 1993), from shallow subtidal down to around 30m (Kuiter, 1993). The species is more common in areas of slight wave action, but not common in very sheltered estuarine seagrass beds (Edgar, 2000). The Southern Crested Weedfish has been recorded in some estuarine areas, such as Lake Illawara in N.S.W. (Lake Illawara Authority of New South Wales, undated), and the Huon River in Tasmania (DPIWE, 2002). The species is not targeted by fishers; however, the Australian Anglers Association (W.A. Division) keeps State Fishing Records of the maximum sizes of Crested Weedfish caught in W.A. waters. There are also records of the species being taken by spearfishing in Victoria (e.g. Australian Underwater Federation, Inc., 2003);
Golden Weedfish / Yellow-crested Weedfish Cristiceps aurantiacus: A widely distributed sub-tropical and temperate species, with records ranging from New Zealand and Lord Howe I. in the east to the central coast of W.A. in the west (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986, 2001; Paulin and Roberts, 1992; Francis, 1993). Many of the published records are from New South Wales (Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007). The Golden Weedfish is has a depth range from the intertidal to about 30 m (Kuiter, 1993). The species inhabits coastal bays and estuaries. It has been found in various nearshore habitats such as rock pools, seagrass beds, kelp beds, and drift macroalgae on sand, and also off shallow, sandy surf beaches (e.g. Kingsford and Choat, 1985; Hutchins and Swainston, 1986, 2001; Kuiter, 1993; Potter et al., 1993; Potter and Hyndes, 1994; Ayvazian and Hyndes, 1995; Hyndes et al., 1999);
Common Weedfish Heteroclinus perspicillatus: Found along the southern Australian coast (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986; Kuiter, 1993, 1996b; Edgar, 2000), from Cape Conran in Victoria, to South Australia (e.g. Port Lincoln is considered the western limit) and Tasmania, including bays in both the north and south of that state (see Jordan et al., 1998; Barrett and Wilcox, 2001). IMCRA Technical Group (1996) considered Heteroclinus perspicillatus to be one of the indicator species for the Tasmanian Province, which extends from the north-eastern tip of Tasmania at Cape Naturaliste, encircling the west, south and east coasts, up to Cape Grim at its north-western extremity. Despite the published south-eastern Australian distribution, it is noted that specimens reported to be this species have been collected from Merrimbula Lake, a south coast estuary in New South Wales (West and Jones, 2001). In Victoria, Common Weedfish was one of the most abundant fish recorded in surveys of Western Port Bay (Edgar and Shaw, 1995) and Port Phillip Bay, Victoria (Jenkins et al., 1996). The species is common in Swan Bay, and Discovery Bay, and in intertidal rock pools and subtidal reef in the Ricketts Point and Black Rock areas of Port Phillip Bay, amongst other areas (Coleman, 1972; Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria, 1996; Jenkins et al., 1996; P. Arnold, pers. comm., cited by Plummer, 2003; Edmunds and Hart, 2003; Edmunds et al., 2003). Common Weedfish are an important part of the diet of some predatory fishes, including juvenile Australian Salmon, and Rock Flathead (Robertson, 1982, and Klumpp and Nicholls, 1983, cited by Connolly et al., 1999). There are records of the species being taken by spearfishing in Victoria, including the record-sized specimen (e.g. Australian Underwater Federation, Inc., 2003). Common Weedfish is collected in Tasmania for the aquarium industry. The permitted annual catch limit is 150 individuals, with a fishing block limit (6 x 6 nautical miles) of 25 individuals (DPIWE Tasmania, 2005b; Australian Government DEH, 2005b). In S.A., examples of locations where the species has been recorded include the southern metropolitan area (e.g. Noarlunga) and Fleurieu Peninsula; Yorke Peninsula (e.g. Edithburgh; Port Vincent); and north-eastern Kangaroo Island (Glover, 1979; Reef Watch, 2003; South Australian Museum data, 2006), amongst other locations. The species is found associated with rocky reefs in sand, with sparse macroalgae growth, and often under rocks (Kuiter, 1993, 1996b). Common Weedfish is also reported to be abundant in rock pools and intertidal areas (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986), and is also found under jetties (Kuiter, 1996a), and in estuaries (South Australian Museum data, 2006). The species is considered to be the most abundant Clinid in southern Australia, occurring in a large range of habitats, to around 10m depth (Edgar, 2000). Common Weedfish was considered by Kuiter (1996a) to be “the most variable and most common weedfish species which is least weed-associated, often found in sandstone reef under slabs, and changing colour when moving from rock areas to darker surrounding (sea)weeds”;
Adelaide’s Weedfish Heteroclinus adelaidae: Adelaide’s Weedfish has a south coast distribution, from Bass Strait / northern Tasmania (e.g. Waterhouse Island), southern Tasmania (e.g. D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Norfolk Bay, Lime Bay and other locations), through to Shark Bay, W.A., including South Australia (Hoese, 1976; Kuiter, 1996b; Jordan et al., 1998; Fairhead et al., 2002b; Museum of Victoria records; South Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007; South Australian Museum data, 2006, 2007). The species occurs in seagrass beds, and on macroalgae-covered reefs, often in silty areas, to depth of around 15m (Kuiter, 1996b). In south-western W.A., the species has also been recorded in nearshore surf zones (Ayvazian et al., 1995). In Victoria, Adelaide’s weedfish is common in seagrass in Western Port Bay, and on reefs, such as those in the Altona area; Black Rock; Jawbone Marine Sanctuary; and probably also in the Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary (Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria, 1996 and Jenkins et al., 1996, cited by Plummer et al., 2003). In Victoria, the species has also been recorded feeding in shallow saltmarsh flats (Crinall and Hindell, 2004).
The five species listed above are currently not included in this report as species of conservation concern, due to their broad distribution and relative abundance, as recommended by B. Hutchins (West Australian Museum, pers. comm., 2003). Other currently known members of the family in South Australia are discussed in synopses below. It is likely that if nearshore habitats were to be more systematically surveyed for small cryptic fishes, new species in the Clinidae (or at least forms within species) would be readily discovered.

Associated taxa

Eel-blenny / Eel Snake Blenny	Peronedys anguillaris Steindachner, 1883
Variegated Snake-blenny / Variegated Snake Blenny	Ophiclinops varius (McCulloch & Waite, 1918)
Spotted Snake-blenny / Spotted Snake Blenny	Ophiclinops pardalis (McCulloch & Waite, 1918)
Shortfin Snake-blenny / Shortfin Snake Blenny	Ophiclinus brevipinnis George and Springer, 1980
Variable Snake-blenny	Ophiclinus ningulus George & Springer, 1980)
Adelaide Snake-blenny / Adelaide Blenny / Dusky Snake Blenny	Ophiclinus antarcticus Castelnau, 1872
Frosted Snake-blenny / Frosted Snake Blenny / Gabriel’s Snake-blenny	Ophiclinus gabrieli (Waite, 1906)
Sand Crawler / Slender Snake Blenny	Sticharium dorsale Günther, 1867
Dusky Crawler  / Clarke’s Snake Blenny	Sticharium clarkae George and Springer, 1980