Scorpis lineolata
Silver Sweep school along temperate reefs in New South Wales, Western Australia and New Zealand's Coromandel coast. Best sightings October to April.
Silvery-white and moderately deep-bodied, silver sweep carry faint horizontal streaking along the flanks that gives the species its name. They are a mid-sized schooling fish with a small mouth, forked tail, and a profile that is noticeably deeper through the body than similarly coloured baitfish such as mullet or silverside. In the water they often appear as a tight, shimmering school hovering near reef structure rather than rushing open water.
Silver sweep are most often seen in loose to dense schools patrolling mid-water close to rocky reef walls and bomboras (submerged rocky outcrops). Schools tend to hold station near structure, parting calmly around an approaching diver rather than bolting, which makes for relaxed observation. They are typically encountered during daylight dives, with schools breaking up or retreating to deeper water as light fades.
Despite looking like classic open-water baitfish, silver sweep belong to the family Scorpidae and are more closely related to luderick and drummer than to the sardines or silversides they superficially resemble.
Sightings concentrate strongly between October and April in the Southern Hemisphere, which aligns with the spring-to-autumn warming of temperate waters. The species is observed across a water temperature range of roughly 14 to 25 °C, so outside that warm season encounters become noticeably less frequent.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Silver sweep are almost exclusively an Australian and New Zealand species. Australia accounts for the great majority of logged sightings, with New South Wales by far the strongest region, followed by Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. In New Zealand, the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty coast and the Northland and Auckland region are where divers encounter them most reliably.
Mapping where Silver Sweep is logged…
Silver sweep are a temperate Australasian species. The strongest populations are logged along the New South Wales coast, with solid sightings also in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand's Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Northland, and Auckland regions.
October through April, covering spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere, is when sightings peak. Diver logs show a clear drop-off in the colder months, so planning a dive in this warmer window gives you the best chance of encountering a school.
Look for a deep-bodied, silvery fish with faint horizontal streaks along the flanks, schooling close to rocky reef structure. Compared to mullet or silversides, they have a noticeably deeper body profile and a small, neat mouth. They tend to hover near the reef rather than race through open water.
No. Silver sweep pose no risk to divers. They are calm around people in the water and will simply part and reform their school as you approach.
Silver sweep are omnivores that feed on small invertebrates, zooplankton, and algae around rocky reef environments. This broad diet suits the temperate reef habitats they favour along the Australian and New Zealand coastlines.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Atherinidae
Anchovy
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