Sand Trevally

Interesting Info

• The Sand Trevally is a smaller cousin of the Silver Trevally, with a slim, silvery body built for speed in shallow coastal waters.
• Adults usually reach 30–40 cm (12–16 in), with a maximum recorded size of about 50 cm (20 in) and just over 1 kg (2.2 lb) in weight.
• In Australia, it is found mainly across southern waters, from Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and southern Western Australia.
• Globally, the Sand Trevally is less widespread than some relatives, being mostly confined to southern Australian seas and nearby waters.
• It has a sleek silver body with a bluish-green back and faint golden or yellow tints on the fins.
• Juveniles often appear in schools in estuaries and bays, while adults prefer sandy coastal areas and open inshore waters.
• They feed on small crustaceans, worms, molluscs, and tiny fishes, using quick bursts of speed to snap prey from the sandy seabed.
• Like other trevallies, they often school, flashing silver as they twist and turn together in the water.
• Spawning occurs offshore in the warmer months, with eggs drifting in the plankton before hatching into tiny larvae that later move into sheltered bays.
• They grow quickly but have a relatively short lifespan compared to larger trevallies, living around 6–8 years.
• This species was named after Robert D. Wright, an early Australian ichthyologist who first described it in the 20th century.