yellowtail kingfish
Article by Thomas Lachlan Mayo
Iconic Reef Predators
Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi) are natural inhabitants of the cold, clean waters of the Great Southern Reef. Known around the globe as Australian Kingfish, Yellowtail Amberjack, Seriola lalandi, and Hiramasa Kingfish, this streamlined pelagic species can be identified by its greenish-blue upper body and silvery-white lower body, accented by a trademark yellow tail and a stripe that runs from snout to tail. They are known to grow up to 70 kilograms in weight and 2.5 meters in length, making them one of the more imposing figures cruising around coastal temperate reefs.
Stronger Together
Kingfish are predominantly a schooling species, with juveniles forming shoals of several hundred around coastal rocky reefs, jetties, pylons, and often entering harbors and estuaries. These structure-dense habitats provide them with protection from larger predators and an abundance of feeding opportunities. Larger, more mature individuals tend to prefer deeper shelf waters, where they form large shoals, commonly combining with Southern Bluefin Tuna and Silver Trevally around reefs, rocky pinnacles, and offshore islands.
Prolific Hunters
The size and power of Kingfish allow them to be efficient apex predators within temperate reef ecosystems. They feed predominantly on small fish and squid but have also been found to feed on crustaceans such as prawns. Their hunting strategy largely involves an electrifying burst of speed (up to 60 kilometres per hour) to outmanoeuvre and capture their prey.
Spawning Migration
Kingfish are known to seasonally migrate into warmer waters for spawning during the spring months, often involving a journey to the warmer waters of the eastern seaboard of Australia, particularly around New South Wales and as far north as Queensland. These regions provide ideal conditions for the successful development of their eggs and larvae. Some tagged individuals have even been found to make the 2,000+ kilometre journey between New Zealand and Australia.
Fast Facts:
Species: Seriola lalandi
Size: Up to 70kg, 2.5m
Age: < 20 years
Diet: Small fish, squid, and crustaceans
Habitat: Coastal temperate reefs, rocky pinnacles, offshore islands
Depth: Juveniles: Shallow coastal areas; Adults: Deeper shelf waters
