48 



Fishery Bulletin 90(1). 1992 



Queensland), fig. Marshall 1966: 205 (description), 

 color plate 53, fig. 354. Munro 1967:197-198 (text 

 is based on Australian G. bicarinatus; New Guinea 

 specimens are G. bilineatus), fig. 333. Grant 1972: 

 107 (same as 1965), fig. Coleman 1974:42 (color, 

 habits), 43 (underwater color photograph. Heron I., 

 Queensland). Grant 1975:165 (same as 1972), fig. 

 Rohde 1976:50 (Lizard I., Queensland). Anonymous 

 1978:18 (listed among species being investigated by 

 Queensland Fisheries Service). Grant 1978:195 

 (same as 1975), fig. Hutchins 1979:83 (may visit 

 Rottnest I., W. Australia). Coleman 1981:268 (Aus- 

 tralia, habits), color underwater photo (from Coleman 

 1974). Lewis 1981:12 (species A, shark mackerel; 

 maximum size 110cm FL, 13.5kg) photograph. 

 Grant 1982:632 (same as 1978 plus comments on am- 

 monia smell of flesh). Collette 1983:716-718 (distin- 

 guished from G. bilineatus), fig. IB. Collette and 

 Nauen 1983:39-40 (description, range, fig.). Hut- 

 chins and Thompson 1983:62, 85 (W. Australia), p. 

 63 (fig. 290). Russell 1983:146 (Heron L, Barrier 

 Reef based on Coleman 1974). McPherson 1984 (color 

 pattern in Queensland, fig.). Collette and Russo 

 1985b:547 (in key). Hutchins and Swainston 1986: 

 102 (description, range), 103 (color painting 587), 141 

 (weight to 11.7kg). Grant 1987: 362 (shark mack- 

 erel; Queensland; color photo 768). Allen and Swains- 

 ton 1988:144 (Geographe Bay north. Western Aus- 

 tralia), 145 (color painting 965). Hutchins 1990:275 

 (sight record. Shark Bay, Western Australia). Ran- 

 dall et al. 1990:433 (description, range), color plate 

 Vn-13 (painting). 



Diagnosis Grammatorcynus bicarinatus has fewer 

 gill rakers (12-15 vs. 18-24), a smaller eye (3.1-4.6% 

 vs. 4.1-6.0% FL), small black spots on the lower sides 

 of its body, and reaches a larger maximum size (1100 

 mm FL) than G. bilineatus. 



Description Dorsal spines 12; rays 10, finlets usual- 

 ly 7, rarely 6 or 8 (Table 4). Anal spines 1, rays 11-13, 

 finlets 6 or 7, usually 7 (Table 5). Pectoral fin rays 

 21-24, X 23.2 (Table 6). Gill rakers on first arch 12- 

 15, X 14.1 (Table 3). Upper jaw teeth 14-25, x 20.5 

 (left), 20.9 (right) (Table 2); lower jaw 15-23, x 17.5 

 (left), 17.6 (right) (Table 2). Morphometric data sum- 

 marized in Table 1. 



Grammatorcynus bicarinatus has a shorter neuro- 

 cranium (13% vs. 14-16% FL), shorter parasphenoid 

 flanges (14% vs. 18-21% neurocranium length), a lower 

 maximum number of teeth on the upper (25 vs. 37) and 

 lower (23 vs. 32) jaws, lower posterior edge of shank 

 of maxilla (6-8% vs. 8-11% maxilla length), shorter 

 quadrate process (122-125% vs. 134-145% quadrate 

 length), narrower first postcleithrum (46-52% vs. 



55-62% length), wider ethmoid (25-28% vs. 19-21% 

 length), wider vomer (16-18% vs. 13-15% neurocra- 

 nium length), wider lachrymal (30-35% vs. 27-30% 

 length), longer teeth (maximum 6% vs. 4% dentary 

 length), wider palatine tooth patch (38-42% vs. 26-32% 

 length), wider opercle (72-79% vs. 63-72% length), 

 and a thin posttemporal shelf between the anterior 

 processes. 



Color General color in life is bright, glowing green 

 above, grading into the silver of the sides and belly, 

 which is marked with scattered small black spots that 

 are absent in G. bilineatus (Grant 1987:362). Under- 

 water, it is reported to display a dark band along the 

 lower lateral line (McPherson 1984). Color photographs 

 have been published by Marshall (1964 and 1965: pi. 

 53, fig. 354) and Grant (1987: photo 768), and there are 

 color paintings in Hutchins and Swainston (1986:103), 

 Allen and Swainston (1988:965), and Randall et al. 

 (1990: plate Vni-13). An underwater photograph was 

 published by Coleman (1974:43 and 1981:268). 



Size Maximum size is 110-130cm FL and 11.6-13.5 

 kg weight (Lewis 1981, Hutchins and Swainston 1986, 

 Allen and Swainston 1988). 



Biology Shark mackerel form dense concentrations 

 near individual bays and reefs in Barrier Reef waters. 

 With the rising tide, they move into shallow water over 

 the reef flats, feeding on schools of clupeoid fishes 

 (Grant 1982). 



Interest to fisheries Shark mackerel are fished off 

 Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queens- 

 land, and northern New South Wales (Grant 1987). It 

 is regarded as a light-tackle sportsfish with commer- 

 cial value in Queensland (McPherson 1984). The name 

 shark mackerel comes from the ammonia-like smell 

 noticed when the fish is being filleted. This odor can 

 be masked by brushing the fillets with lemon juice prior 

 to cooking (Grant 1982, 1987). 



Range Found over coastal reefs of all Australian 

 warm waters (Grant 1987) with occasional stragglers 

 south to 30° on both east (Cook I., New South Wales) 

 and west (Shark Bay, Western Australia) coasts (Fig. 

 27) and in the Gulf of Papua (A.D. Lewis, South Pacific 

 Comm., Noumea, pers. commun.). The apparent gap 

 in distribution may be due to ecological reasons, the 

 scarcity of reef habitats along the north coast of 

 Australia, or to historical reasons, as outlined by 

 Springer and Williams (1990). 



Dissections 4 specimens (563-765 mm FL). USNM 

 270392 (563), Cairns. Qld., diss. 1-3-83. USNM 316126 (765), 



