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King Gar
Scomberesox saurus (Walbaum, 1792)
Above and below: A King Gar trawled during the NORFANZ expedition between the surface and 1050 m, south of Norfolk Island, May 2003 (NMNZ P.39302). Photo: K. Parkinson © NORFANZ. View larger image.
The King Gar has a very elongate, compressed body. The toothless upper and lower jaws are greatly elongated. There is a single short-based dorsal fin positioned posteriorly on the body. This is followed by five or six detached finlets.
This species is dark blue, greenish or brown above and silvery white below. There is a broad silver stripe along the sides of the body. The finlets and caudal fin are blue. There is a dark blue or green spot on the pectoral fin bases.
It grows to 45 cm in length.
The King Gar is a pelagic species that occurs in temperate marine waters worldwide.
In Australia it is known from the central coast of New South Wales, around the south of the country, and north to south-western Western Australia.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
This species has also been called the Billfish, Saury and Skipper.
It is preyed upon by Marlin and other large oceanic predators.
Related links
- View the Fishes of Sydney Harbour list
Further reading
- Gomon, M.F. 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.
