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Herring Cale
Odax cyanomelas (Richardson, 1850)
An initial phase Herring Cale at a depth of 16 m, Long Reef, Sydney, New South Wales, September 2001. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
A juvenile Herring Cale at a depth of 0.1 m in a rockpool at Bellambi, south of Sydney, New South Wales, January 2006. Photo © S. Schulz. View larger image.
The Herring Cale can be recognised by its colouration, which varies as the fish grows. Juveniles are typically grey or greenish brown above and yellow below. They have an incomplete silvery-white stripe on the side of the body.
Initial phase Herring Cale are usually darker green to brown above and green-yellow below. They have bluish lines on the head and sometimes lines and blotches on the fins.
Terminal phase Herring Cale are blue, grey or black with bright blue lines along the upper and lower edges of the caudal fin.
The species grows to 51 cm in length.
The Herring Cale can form large aggregations. It is most commonly seen in the surge zone of rocky intertidal areas, often in areas covered with brown macroalgae. It is found from the intertidal to around 30 m.
It is a herbivorous species. The main food items are large brown algae, including Ecklonia radiata, Phyllospora comosa and Lessonia corrugata.
The Herring Cale is endemic to Australia. It is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the temperate south of the country, including Tasmania, and up the east coast to southern Queensland.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
The Herring Cale is a member of the fish family Odacidae. One of the distinguishing features of odacid fishes is that the teeth in both jaws are fused into a parrot-like beak with serrated edges.
Related links
- Little Weed Whiting fact sheet
- Rainbow Cale fact sheet
- Tubemouth fact sheet
- View the Cales and Weed-whitings list
- View the Family Odacidae list
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Gomon, M. F. & J. R. Paxton 1985. A Revision of the Odacidae, A temperate Australian-New Zealand Labroid fish family. Indo-Pacific. Fishes No. 8: 1-57, Pls. I-VI.
- 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. 469.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2006
Page researched and compiled by
M. McGrouther & K. Parkinson , October 2006.
