Pseudocaranx georgianus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pseudocaranx georgianus |
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| Silver trevally | |
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The Silver trevally, also called skippy, skipjack trevally, or silver bream, is a type of fish. It belongs to the jack family, which includes many fast-swimming fish. You can find the Silver trevally around the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.
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What Does a Silver Trevally Look Like?
Silver trevally have bodies that are a bit flat from side to side and long. Their upper part is a bluish-silver color, while their belly is bright silver. The sides of their body often have a yellowish-silver shine. You might also spot a small black mark on the bony flap that covers their gills.
These fish have two dorsal fins (fins on their back). They also have two small, separate spines in front of their rear fin. Their tail fin is deeply forked, like a "V" shape.
How Big Do They Get?
A Silver trevally can grow quite large. Some have been found to be about 1.2 meters (nearly 4 feet) long. They can also weigh up to 18 kilograms (about 40 pounds). However, most Silver trevally you see are usually smaller. They are often between 35 and 60 centimeters (14 to 24 inches) long. These fish typically weigh from 0.4 to 2.5 kilograms (about 1 to 5.5 pounds). Silver trevally can live for a long time, sometimes up to 25 years!
Silver Trevally Reproduction
Silver trevally become old enough to have babies when they are between two and four years old. They lay their eggs in estuaries (where rivers meet the sea) and in deeper ocean waters. This happens over a long period, usually from spring to autumn. A female Silver trevally can produce a lot of eggs. She might lay anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000 eggs in one season!
Naming the Silver Trevally
The Silver trevally was first officially described by a scientist named Georges Cuvier in 1833. He wrote about it in his book Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. The first fish he described was caught near King George Sound, which is close to Albany in Western Australia.
Over time, this fish has had a few different scientific names. Some of these old names include Usacaranx nobilis and Caranx georgianus. It was also sometimes confused with another similar fish called Pseudocaranx dentex.
Where Do Silver Trevally Live?
Silver trevally live in the waters of southern Australia and around New Zealand. In Australia, you can find them along the east coast, south of Sydney. Their range continues around Victoria and Tasmania. They also live along the west coast, through South Australia and up to areas north of Perth in Western Australia.
Their Favorite Places to Live
These fish like to live in estuaries and close to the coast. They often hang out in rocky areas, bays, and coastal waters. You can find them in waters that are up to 200 meters (about 650 feet) deep.
Young Silver trevally, called juveniles, often stay in bays, estuaries, and shallower parts of the continental shelf. As they get older, adult fish usually move to larger bays and inlets. They also like areas with inshore reefs or open areas with gravel or sand on the seafloor.
