Herring cale

{{Short description|Species of ray-finned fish}}

{{Speciesbox

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Russell, B. |author2=Clements, K.D. |author3=Choat, J.H. |author4=Rocha, L.A. |author5=Myers, R. |author6=Lazuardi, M.E. |author7=Muljadi, A. |author8=Pardede, S. |author9=Rahardjo, P. |date=2012 |title=Olisthops cyanomelas |volume=2012 |page=e.T190679A17774029 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T190679A17774029.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}

| image = Odax cyanomelas Herring Cale m PC280379 (cropped).JPG

| image2 = Odax cyanomelas P1101938 (cropped).JPG

| image2_caption = Terminal phase (top)
Initial phase (bottom)

| taxon = Olisthops cyanomelas

| authority = J. Richardson, 1850

| synonyms = * Odax cyanomelas (J. Richardson, 1850)

• Olistherops brunneus W. J. Macleay, 1878
• Olistherops brownii R. M. Johnston, 1884
• Odax nebulosus Saville-Kent, 1893

}}

The herring cale (Olisthops cyanomelas) is a species of ray-finned fish, a weed whiting from the family Odacidae which is endemic to Australia where it is found along the southern and southeastern coast. It inhabits the surf zone, ranging to a depth of {{cvt|30|m|ft|-1}} in rocky areas with plentiful growth of brown algae, which it feeds on. This species grows to a length of {{convert|51|cm|in|abbr=on}} SL.{{cite web |website=Australian Museum|url=http://australianmuseum.net.au/herring-cale-odax-cyanomelas |title=Herring cale, Odax cyanomelas |access-date=16 April 2015}} This species is the only known member of the genus Olisthops,{{FishBase |genus= Olisthops|species= cyanomelas| month = February | year = 2014}} but it has frequently been placed in Odax instead.