Western Australian Banjo Fish
Banjos Banjos
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Quick Facts
Distribution
- The Western Australian Banjo Fish is a small, deep-bodied fish that grows to about 20 cm long. It belongs to the Banjosidae family, a small and distinctive group found only in the Indo-West Pacific.
- In Australia, it is found along the west coast, where it is most closely associated with deeper inshore and offshore waters. Its range stretches across the Indo-West Pacific, from Australian and Indonesian waters north through the South China Sea and up to Japan.
- The Banjo Fish lives on or close to the seabed rather than swimming near the surface. It has been recorded at depths of about 50 to 400 m, so it spends its life well below the shallows most people ever see.
- Its name comes from its rounded, flattened body shape, which gives it a resemblance to the musical instrument. That outline makes it one of the more recognisable fish in its depth range.
- The Banjo Fish has a relatively large head compared with its body. Its eyes are also notably large, which likely helps it see in the low light of deeper water.
- Along the edges of its bones and gill cover, the Banjo Fish has small saw-like serrations. These rough edges are one of the features used to tell it apart from its close relatives.
- Juveniles look noticeably different from adults. The spines on the dorsal fin and near the cheek are proportionally shorter and less developed in young fish, becoming more prominent as they grow.
- The Banjo Fish turns up in commercial catches as a minor bycatch species. It is not a target fish, but it is occasionally brought up in trawls fishing deeper offshore waters.
- The Banjo Fish probably feeds on small bottom-dwelling animals. Its exact diet in Australian waters has not been well studied.
- There is still plenty to learn about the Banjo Fish. Detailed information on its breeding, lifespan and behaviour in Australian waters remains limited.
Species Interaction
Western Australian Banjo Fish: A Curious Catch from Deep Water
- Research & Rare Encounters
- Ecosystem Role
The Western Australian Banjo Fish occasionally turns up as an incidental catch on hook and line in deeper coastal and offshore waters. Found at depths of roughly 50 to 400 metres, it is not a species most people are likely to encounter. For many, this remains a rarely seen and unfamiliar fish, of greater interest to researchers and curious anglers than to any organised fishery.
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Teleostei
- Order: Acropomatiformes
- Family: Banjosidae
- Genus: Banjos
- Species: Banjos banjos
Conservation Status
The Western Australian Banjo Fish has not been assessed by the IUCN Red List, and it does not appear on Australia’s EPBC threatened species list. It is not included in the Status of Australian Fish Stocks reports, so no formal stock assessment exists for this species.
Interaction Highlights
Research
Rare incidental captures in deep water help extend our knowledge of its range.
Ecosystem
A bottom-dwelling predator in deeper coastal waters along the southern Australian coast.
How to catch
Western Australian Banjo Fish
Catch Difficulty: Moderate
Tackle: Paternoster rig, Running sinker rig
Bait: Prawns, Squid, Worms, Fresh cut fish bait
Technique: Fish bait on the bottom, Fish bait near reef or structure
Popularity: Mostly caught as bycatch
Elusive / Overlooked Species
Finding: Difficult
Temperament: Shy
Location: Deepsea, Outer reef
Danger: None
