peixe-rei-austral
Basilichthys australis
Silverside endemic to Chile, from rivers in central to southern Chile, up to 36.5 cm.
Also called: peixe-rei-austral, peixe-rei
- maximum
- 36 cm
who is the peixe-rei-austral
The austral pejerrey is a silverside fish of the family Atherinopsidae, reaching 36.5 cm. It is endemic to Chile and lives in rivers, from the Maipo River to Chiloé Island, in a temperate climate, in rivers that drain into the Pacific. It stays in the midwater. It is larger than the Chilean pejerrey and the Maule pejerrey, also from Chilean rivers. Like other pejerreys, it has a slender, elongated body with a silver band along the side.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the peixe-rei-austral; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Slender, elongated fish with a silver band along the side and two dorsal fins, like other silversides. Reaches 36.5 cm, more than the Chilean pejerrey and the Maule pejerrey. To tell it from the Chilean pejerrey, remember the range: the austral occurs from the Maipo to Chiloé, while the other runs from Huasco to Valparaíso.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Chilean rivers, from the Maipo River to Chiloé Island. Endemic to Chile.
Habitat: Freshwater rivers, in the midwater, in a temperate climate.
rules for the peixe-rei-austral
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Small, delicate fish: release it quickly, with wet hands.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0049, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Basilichthys australis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Basilichthys australisNames by country and language.
