Arripis is a genus of marine fishes from Australia and New Zealand, known as Australian salmon, kahawai and Australian herring. They are the only members of the family Arripidae. Despite the common name, Australian salmon are not related to the salmon family Salmonidae of the Northern Hemisphere, just as Australian herring are not related to herring of the Northern Hemisphere, but belong to the order Perciformes of perch-like fishes. Australian salmon were named so by early Europeansettlers after their superficial resemblance to the salmoniform fishes.
Relatively long-lived fish, Australian salmon are a favoured target of recreational fishers, and both commercial and traditional Māori fisheries. They are also common bycatch of the Australasian snapper (Pagrus auratus), mullet (Mugilidae), white trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex), and mackerel (Scombridae) fisheries. These species are all taken in great numbers by way of purse seine nets and trawling. They are also caught by skilled fishermen along the southern coastline of Australia by beach seining.
Four recognised species are in this genus.[4] The ranges of the species may overlap to some extent, but can be described as:
A streamlined, fusiform body and large, powerful forked tail – the upper lobe of which is equal to or less than the length of the head in the eastern Australian salmon – are indications of the fast-paced pelagic lives these fish lead. Upon dissection, the extremely large, dense gills (for maximum oxygen extraction) and large proportion of red aerobic muscle in the 'fillets' is further evidence of a fast-paced pelagic life. The first (spinous, with 9 spines) dorsal fin originates behind the pectoral fins, the former being confluent with, but noticeably higher than the much longer soft dorsal fin (with 15–19 rays), itself much longer than the anal fin (which has three spines and 9–10 soft rays). The pelvic finis situated in a thoracic position.
Scales and eyes are relatively large – in the Australian herring, the eyes are approximately one-fifth the length of the head in diameter. The large mouth is terminal, and the jaws are lined with bands of sharp villiform (brushlike) teeth. The lateral line runs along the upper sides of the body.
The western Australian salmon is the largest species at a maximum 96 cm (38 in) standard length (that is, excluding the caudal fin) and 10.5 kg (23 lb) in weight. The Australian herring is the smallest species at maximum 41 cm (16 in) fork length (that is, from the snout to the middle of the caudal fin's fork) and 800 g (28 oz). Australian salmon share a passing resemblance to the unrelated yellowtail amberjack, (Seriola lalandi), locally known as "kingfish", with which larger Australian salmon are sometimes confused.