Sea Pike

Dinolestes lewini

The sea pike (Dinolestes lewini) is an elongated, predatory fish endemic to the temperate waters of southern Australia. Growing to about 60 cm in length, it has a slender, pike-like body with a pointed snout and a large mouth filled with small sharp teeth. The body is silvery with a greenish to brownish tint on the upper flanks. Sea pike typically form schools ranging from small groups to large aggregations of hundreds of individuals, often seen cruising along reef edges, through kelp forests, and over rocky reef systems. They are active predators that feed on smaller fish, crustaceans, and squid. The schools can create spectacular scenes for divers as they move in coordinated formations, often splitting and reforming around kelp fronds and rocky outcrops. Sea pike are found from southern Western Australia around the southern coast to New South Wales, including Tasmania. They inhabit a range of depths but are most commonly encountered at moderate reef depths. Their streamlined shape and schooling behavior make them visually dramatic subjects for wide-angle underwater photography.