© 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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GIRELLIDAE or GIRELLINAE: BLACKFISHES

© Bernard Yau

CSIRO’s Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota (CSIRO, 2007), and the Zoological Catalogue of Australia (Hoese et al., 2006), include the Blackfishes as a sub-family in the Drummer family Kyphosidae. There are some anatomical differences between the Blackfishes and the Drummers, such as number of dorsal fin spines, and arrangement of teeth (Edgar, 2000), and it is noted that some authors (e.g. Hutchins and Swainston, 1986; Kuiter, in Gomon et al., 1994) have considered Blackfishes to belong to a separate family, the Girellidae.
Globally, there are currently 17 named species of Girella (Froese and Pauly, 2007), some of which are endemic to island groups in the south-eastern or south-western Pacific. There are 5 species known from Australia, and the 4 species that occur in southern Australia are the Luderick Girella tricuspidata (discussed below); the Rock Blackfish G. tephraeops and the Eastern Rock Blackfish or Black Drummer G. elevata (both not found in South Australia), and the Zebra Fish G. zebra.
Blackfishes eat algae and encrusting invertebrates from the substrate. Local species in southern Australia are perch-like in appearance, with a small mouth. Most species inhabit estuaries, and are commonly found under jetties and bridges where algal growth is abundant (Kuiter, in Gomon et al., 1994).

Associated taxa

Luderick / Blackfish

Girella tricuspidata (Quoy and Gaimard, 1824)