© 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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Whitley’s Weedfish

Family Name:	Clinidae
Scientific Name:	Heteroclinus sp. 1 (Hutchins, 1994) or Heteroclinus sp. 2 (Hoese et al., in Gomon et al., 1994) or Heteroclinus sp. 4 (in Kuiter, 1993, 2000)
Recommended Status in S.A:	Data Deficient
Rationale:  Whitley’s Weedfish is included here because (i) the species is strongly site-associated in nearshore habitats, likely occurs over a narrow depth range, and may thus be vulnerable to habitat impacts in some areas (particularly degradation of nearshore reefs), but there are no specific data; (ii) Clinids reproduce at a small, site-associated scale (and have live young), characteristics that may increase the species vulnerability to population decline; and (iii) there is no knowledge of population sizes within the range (including in South Australia), and very little is known of the biology and population dynamics.

Page Contents

Current Conservation Status

No listings known

Distribution

Whitley’s Weedfish ranges from the Queensland / NSW border to the Victorian border, with transients ranging into Victoria, and from Gulf St Vincent in S.A. (approximately) to Kalbarri in W.A. (B. Hutchins, ex-W.A. Museum, pers. comm., 2007)
Hutchins (2005) recorded the distribution as being the eastern and western coasts of Australia.

South Australia

In South Australia, there are records of Whitley’s Weedfish from between Tickera and Point Riley, and Cape Elizabeth, in Spencer Gulf, and from Seacliff (off metropolitan Gulf St Vincent) (South Australian Museum data, 2003, cited by T. Bertozzi, SAM, pers. comm., 2005; R. Foster, pers. comm., 2007; South Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2008).

Habitat

Whitley’s Weedfish usually occurs on rocky reefs, with short but dense green or brown macroalgae, and also in Codium green macroalgae (Kuiter, 1993 and 1996b).
In south-western Australia, the species has been recorded occasionally on reefs at the Recherche Archipelago (Hutchins, 2005).
In New South Wales, a species identified as Whitley’s Weedfish (Heteroclinus sp. 4 in Kuiter, 2000) has been collected in low numbers from Zostera capricorni seagrass beds (Jelbart, 2004).
The species has been recorded to around 10m deep (Kuiter, 1996b).

Notes on the Biology

Growth

Whitley’s Weedfish grows to around 9cm (Hoese et al., in Gomon et al., 1994; Kuiter, 1996b).
No estimates of longevity were found for this report; however, it is noted that post-settlement growth is rapid, and a study of 12 weedfish species in south-eastern Australia showed that most of the reproductive populations consist of fishes in the 1 + year-class (Gunn and Thresher, 1991).

Reproduction

Temperate weedfishes are viviparous, many are “super-foetate” (simultaneously developing multiple batches of eggs and/or embryo) and reproduce over several months in spring and summer (Gunn and Thresher, 1991). Maternal investment in the nutrition of the young is high. After parturition, the larvae spend from 3 to 7 weeks in the plankton, primarily in in-shore waters (Gunn and Thresher, 1991).

Vulnerable Characteristics of the Species and Threatening Processes

Members of the Clinidae are strongly site-associated in coastal areas of macroalgae and seagrass, and processes which damage such habitats may adversely affect populations of clinid species.
Members of the family are viviparous (bear live young), and therefore reproduce at a local, site-associated level, and have low dispersive ability, characteristics that can increase vulnerability to processes causing population decline.

Research Requirements

As indicated in the section above, very little is known of the distribution, relative abundance, habitat requirements, biology and population dynamics of this species. Such information may help in better determining the susceptibility of weedfishes to threats such as habitat degradation. However, the difficulty of determining distribution and relative abundance of small, cryptic, benthic species such as weedfishes is noted.
Targeted survey work and taxonomic research are both required to determine the distribution of the less commonly recorded Heteroclinus species in South Australia. Weedfish are difficult to identify in situ, and a photographic record should be taken where possible.

Management Requirements

Whitley’s Weedfish appears to be mainly associated with nearshore reef habitats, but may also be found in seagrass beds. Habitat protection is required from processes that degrade the quality of nearshore reefs and associated macroalgae, and seagrasses (e.g. physical damage; eutrophication; siltation etc).