Find a Fish
Cottonmouth Trevally
Uraspis secunda (Poey, 1860)
Above and below: Small (25 cm to 30 cm long) Cottonmouth Trevallies at a depth of 1 m, near a fish attracting device, 8 km north-east of Botany Bay, New South Wales, April 2004. The water depth was 150 m. One fish was caught on hook and line by J. Dipcock of New South Wales Fisheries. It is now registered in the Australian Museum Fish Collection (AMS I.43293-001). View larger image.
The white mouth and tongue of a Cottonmouth Trevally caught by A. Boomer on hook and line at a depth of 40 m, off Maroubra, New South Wales, April 2001.
Fishes of the genus Uraspis can be distinguished from the other Australian species in the family Carangidae by the brilliant white tongue and inside walls of the mouth.
The Cottonmouth Trevally grows to 44 cm in length.
It occurs worldwide in tropical and warm temperate marine waters.
In Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the southern coast of New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
This species is also known as Basset-Hull's Trevally.
The genus Uraspis contains three species, U.secunda, U.uraspis and U.helvola.
Related links
- For more information on fish tongues see the FAQ page
- View the Trevally list
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292. (for Uraspis uraspis)
- Gunn, J.S. 1990. A Revision of Selected Genera of the Family Carangidae (Pisces) from Australian Waters. Records of the Australian Museum. Supplement 12: 1-77.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180 (for Uraspis uraspis).
- Smith-Vaniz, W.F. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem. 1999. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO. Rome Pp. iii-v, 2069-2790.
