Tarwhine

Rhabdosargus sarba has a deep and compressed body, the body has a depth which fits into its standard length 2 to 2.3 times. with a large head. The dorsal profile is convex, most strongly arched between the snout and the origin of the dorsal fin. The moderately sized eyes are relatively smaller in adults. There are 11 spine and 12 or 13 soft rays supporting the dorsal fin while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and 11 soft rays. The largest molar-like teeth are those at the rear of the third outer row. The overall colour of this fish is greyish with a silvery-gold hue, the ventral surface is silvery-white, and there are thin yellowish to golden horizontal stripes along the flanks. The pelvic and anal fins yellowish to brownish-yellow in colour.

Rhabdosargus sarba has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution from the Red Sea and the eastern coast of Africa as far south as the southern coast of South Africa east across the Indian Ocean and into the Pacific Ocean as far as the South China Sea and Japan and south to Australia. In Australia it is found along the Western Australian coast from Bremer Bay to Exmouth and along the east coast between Townsville, Queensland south to Mallacoota, Victoria. There is a single records from the Mediterranean off Syria, and this is thought likely to have been a Lessepsian migrant from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. The tarwhine is found at depths between 0 and 60 m (0 and 197 ft), juveniles and young fishes are found in estuaries but the adults move out to deeper coastal waters.

Rahbdosargus sabra is an important recreational angling species in Australia, although it is of minor importance as a commercial fishery target in southwestern Australia. In South Africa and Mozambique this species is targeted by artisanal fishers as well as being an important target for recreational anglers. The goldlined seabream has been overfished in the Persian Gulf and the stock has declined so R. sarba has been classified by the International Union for Conservation of Natureas Near Threatened in the Persian Gulf, while being classified as Least Concern globally.