Strange fish(False Trevally)

[Dave_]

G'day Raiders,

I caught these strange fish whilst on holidays at Port Douglas. No one I spoke to could tell me what they were. They look like a cross between a tailor and a trevally but they're definitely not a member of those 2 species. Caught them in the Dickson Inlet on plastics and they fight like hell. They have huge teeth and got taken out of the same snag as Mangrove Jacks.

[Dave_]

I've finally found out what it is. Looks like it's a False Trevally (Lactarius Lactarius). They grow to 40cm and occur around FNQ and NT top end, also in other countries. Definitely a strange fish. http://www.fishbase.org/summary/363

[thefisherman6784]

It looks like a mix between a tarpon head and a yakka/tailor body

Don't know

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[Holls]

That's worth sending to the Fisheries Research and Development Corp.

[Dave_]

That's worth sending to the Fisheries Research and Development Corp.

I'm beginning to think so too but I'll leave it for a while as it's not like Raider to be unable to ID a fish. Some of you blokes must be marine scientists or something haha!

The locals up there said they turn up in plagues but only rarely and only in the last 4 or so years. Apparently they reach at least twice this size and are also known to turn up in the Daintree river.

Exotic import maybe?

Edited May 18, 2014 by Dave_

[The Iceman]

Its a Steelback Used to catch a lot of them in winter in Gladstone harbour

[Dave_]

Is this the steelback you know? If so I'm pretty sure it's a different fish.

[The Iceman]

yeah that's a steelback Your pic is not that clear with the boga grips in its mouth

[Dave_]

Here's a pic of a steelback and another pic of my mystery fish. In my opinion, you can clearly see the differences. My fish on the right has a bigger eye, upturned jaw, deeper body and bigger head.

Very similar but a different fish all the same.

[The Iceman]

Yep Ive never seen one of them before

[bharris]

big eye scad

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[Holls]

Big-eye Scad, Crumenophthalmus (why make scientific names so complicated?) just as kingfisher84 says.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Bigeye-Scad-Selar-crumenophthalmus-Bloch-1793

Edited May 19, 2014 by Holls

[Dave_]

It does'nt have the scoots on the tail like the big eye scad, definitely not the same fish. I might have to send this one in to get identified. Anyone done this before and/or know how?

[Blackfish]

I've finally found out what it is. Looks like it's a False Trevally (Lactarius Lactarius). They grow to 40cm and occur around FNQ and NT top end, also in other countries. Definitely a strange fish. http://www.fishbase.org/summary/36

I vote for Dave.

1+ for Lactarius Lactarius

[Dave_]

Thanks to everyone for their input into figuring out the species. It was certainly a tough one and good fun.

Cheers

Dave

Edited May 19, 2014 by Dave_