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Samson Fish
Seriola hippos Günther, 1876
A Samson Fish at a depth of 6 m, Shelly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, January 2008. Photo © J. Regan. View larger image.
A Samson Fish at a depth of 6 m, Shelly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, January 2008. Photo © J. Regan. View larger image.
A Samson Fish at a depth of 10 m, Bowen Island, Jervis Bay , New South Wales, March 2007. Photo © D. & L. Atkinson. View larger image.
A Samson Fish at a depth of 20 m, Wreck of the "HMAS Swan", Geographe Bay , Western Australia, April 2006. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
The Samson Fish is an elongate compressed fish with a forked caudal fin. The dorsal and anal fins are elevated anteriorly. The pectoral fins are small.
The species varies considerably in body shape and colouration with growth. Juveniles have blunt heads and broad vertical bars on the body. Adults are usually silvery with a brownish to bronze sheen on the back. There is sometimes a yellow stripe on the side of the body. After capture the fish often takes on a barred pattern and becomes darker brown above after death.
The Samson Fish grows to about 1.75 m in length.
It is a pelagic, schooling species that occurs in coastal and inshore waters often near rocky reefs.
The Samson Fish occurs in Australian and New Zealand waters. In Australia it is known from southern Queensland to southern New South Wales and the Yorke Peninsula South Australia to the central coast of Western Australia.
It has also been called Abrolhos Kingfish, Sambo and Sea Kingfish.
Related links
- Highfin Amberjack fact sheet
- Yellowtail Kingfish fact sheet
- View the Trevallies list
- View the family Carangidae list
Further reading
- Francis, M. P., 1993 Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, Southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science. 47(2):136-170.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. in Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
- Gomon, M.F. Family Carangidae. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
