SPECIES COMPOSITION AND CHECKLIST OF THE DEMERSAL ICTHYOFAUNA OF THE CONTINENTAL SLOPE OFF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (20-35°S)

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 decade ago

Abstract: The first regional collection of fishes from the continental slope off the west coast of Australia was taken between 1989 and 1991 during exploratory trawling. Collections were taken from 95 trawls completed during an exploratory fishing survey by a research vessel at latitudinally and depth-stratified stations, and from 56 trawls aboard commercial vessels. The region trawled was between latitudes 20-35°S in depths from 200 to about 1500 m.

The demersal slope fish fauna in this region is highly speciose: 388 species from 108 families were identified and these are presented in a checklist. Approximately 100 of these species are recorded from Australian waters for the first time and many represent undescribed taxa. We present criteria which establish the reliability of identifications in the checklist. Overall, the Macrouridae are the most speciose family with 50 species; 10 or more species were also recorded from the Squalidae (22 species), Alepocephalidae (17), Ophidiidae (17), Moridae (13), TrigIidae (13), Scyliorhinidae (10) and Scorpaenidae (10).

The most abundant families (in numbers of individuals) in 200-600 m include the Acropomatidae, Trachichthyidae, Chlorophthalmidae and Scorpaenidae. Between 600 and 800 m, the Macrouridae, Bathyclupeidae, Chaunacidae and Neoscopelidae are most abundant, while the Macrouridae, Alepocephalidae, Oreosomatidae and Synaphobranchidae dominate depths below 800 m.