© 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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Slender Blindfish / Yellow Eelpout

Family Name:	Bythitidae
Scientific Name:	Dermatopsis multiradiatus McCulloch and Waite, 1918
Recommended Status in S.A:	Data Deficient
Rationale:  Although the Slender Blindfish has been recorded in many parts of South Australia, it is included here because (i) members of the family are viviparous (bear live young), and therefore reproduce at a local, site-associated level; (ii) the species is presumed to have low fecundity and low dispersal ability, and these characteristics can increase the vulnerability of populations to processes that cause decline; (iii) the species is reported to be found in shallow water habitats (less than 15m), and may therefore be vulnerable to coastal marine impacts in some areas; (iv) there is little information on the relative abundance of the Slender Blindfish across the range, including S.A., and (v) very little is known of the biology, population dynamics or ecology of this species.

Page Contents

Current Conservation Status

No listings known

Distribution

Southern Australia

The species has a south-western distribution, from Kangaroo Island in S.A., through to Port Denison on the west coast of W.A. (Paxton et al., 1989; Hutchins, 1994; Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994).
In south-western W.A., the species is relatively abundant in bays near the mainland, and is occasionally recorded on offshore islands (Hutchins, 2005).

South Australia

Most museum records reported to be this species are from South Australia, and almost of those records are from the gulfs region. Slender Blindfish has been recorded in the Great Australian Bight; northern Spencer Gulf (e.g. Whyalla, Fitzgerald Bay and Port Pirie area); central eastern Spencer Gulf (e.g. Cape Elizabeth, Tiparra area, and Port Victoria / Wardang area); south-eastern Spencer Gulf (Point Turton / Hardwicke Bay area); south-western Spencer Gulf (Port Lincoln / Memory Cove area); southern Yorke Peninsula (e.g. Edithburgh / Troubridge Island area, and further east into lower Gulf St Vincent); eastern Investigator Strait; southern tip of Fleurieu Peninsula; and northern Kangaroo Island (including the Kingscote area, and Cape Cassini, from which 14 specimens were collected in 1966) (Anonymous, 2001a; Australian Museum records, South Australian Museum records, Museum of Victoria records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007).
North-eastern Kangaroo Island is the type locality (McCulloch and Waite, 1918; Eschmeyer, 1998; SA Museum record F00480, cited in OZCAM database, 2007).

Habitat

D. multiradiatus occurs under rocky ledges and in rubble, in shallow waters, less than about 15m deep (Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994).
Nielsen et al. (1999) recorded the species as being locally abundant in some areas of inshore reef.
In south-western Australia, the species has been recorded from various reef habitats (Hutchins, 2005).
A number of museum records are of specimens from the shallow subtidal (e.g. 2m).

Notes on Biology and Behaviour

Growth

The Slender Blindfish grows to around 11.5cm (Gomon et al., 1994).

Reproduction

Members of the family are viviparous (bear live young) (Breder and Rosen, 1966, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007; Nielsen et al., 1999); fertilisation is internal, and the males have clasper organs (Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994).
Based on the mode of reproduction, the species is assumed to have low fecundity (Froese and Pauly, 2007).

Other Information

The species has a well developed system of taste and smell, as indicated by the greatly modified lip structure (Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994).
The species is rarely seen; has cryptic habits, and is well hidden in its habitat (Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994).

Vulnerable Characteristics of the Species and Threatening Processes

Members of the family are viviparous (bear live young), and therefore reproduce at a local, site-associated level, and presumably have low dispersal ability, characteristics that can increase vulnerability to processes causing population decline.
D. multiradiatus is reported to have a low resilience to exploitation, in terms of population doubling time (assuming low fecundity) (Froese and Pauly, 2007).
The species is reported to be found in shallow water habitats (less than 15m), and may therefore be vulnerable to coastal impacts in some areas, particularly developed areas such as northern Spencer Gulf and eastern Gulf St Vincent.

Research Requirements

There is little information on the relative abundance of the Slender Blindfish across the range, including S.A.
Very little is known of the biology, population dynamics or ecology of this species.