Marblefish, Aplodactylus arctidens Richardson 1839


Other Names: Keke, Kelpies, Marbled Kelpfish, Sea Carp, Seacarp, Southern Sea Carp, Southern Seacarp, Stinky Groper

A Marblefish, Aplodactylus arctidens, in Port Davey, Tasmania, February 2013. Source: Ian Shaw / iNaturalist.org. License: CC BY Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
Body grey to greenish-brown with a variable pattern of pale marbling, reticulations and markings on the body and fins.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2019, Aplodactylus arctidens in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1187

Marblefish, Aplodactylus arctidens Richardson 1839

More Info


Distribution

Found in southern Australia from south of Mallacoota, Victoria, to Kangaroo Island, South Australia, and southern Tasmania. Elsewhere the species occurs in New Zealand. Inhabits shallow, weedy reefs to a depth of 20 m.

Features

Dorsal fin XVI-IX, 16-18; Anal fin III, 6-8; Pectoral fin i, 13-14; Lateral-line scales 100-120; Gill rakers 4-8 + 11-15 = 17-22; Vertebrae 16-18=34.

Body elongate, greatest depth 3.3-4.7 in SL; head length 3.8-4.8 in SL; snout short, 2.5± 3.6 in head; dorsal profile of head rounded; orbital diameter 4.4-6.8 in head; interorbital space more or less straight or slightly convex medially, least width of interorbital 3.4-5.8 in head; least depth of caudal peduncle 1.8-2.7 in head; peduncle length 2.1-4.0 in head. Mouth small, somewhat ventral on head; lips fleshy, upper lip projecting, maxilla reaching a vertical through posterior nostril; teeth small, mainly tricuspid, a few lanceolate, in three to four rows in jaws, outermost row of teeth largest; vomerine teeth in small patch; two pairs of nostrils, anterior pair with fleshy tentaculate flaps on anteroventral margin and posteroventral margin; opercle with broad flat spine which does not extend to the fleshy margin.

Dorsal fin long-based, with elongate notch between spinous and soft parts of fin, basal length of soft dorsal fin 1.2-1.5 in length of spinous part; anal fin short, basal length 1.9-2.7 in head; pectoral fin length 0.9-1.6 in head, ventral-most 5 to 6 rays simple, fleshy; pelvic fin length 1.2-1.9 in head, rays fleshy.

Scales small, cycloid, embedded, extending on to cheeks and opercles, and forming a sheath along base of spinous dorsal fin.

Colour

Ranges in colour from grey to greenish-brown with variable whitish blotches and reticulations.

Feeding

Grazes on algae (mainly reds) and also consumes small invertebrates living amongst algae.

Fisheries

Considered a very poor food fish with flesh described as "coarse with a rank flavor".

Species Citation

Aplodactylus arctidens Richardson 1839, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 7: 96. Type locality: Port Arthur, Tasmania.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2019

Resources

Australian Faunal Directory

Marblefish, Aplodactylus arctidens Richardson 1839

References


Burridge, C.P. 2000. Molecular phylogeny of the Aplodactylidae (Perciformes: Cirrhitoidea), a group of Southern Hemisphere marine fishes. Journal of Natural History 34(11): 2173-2185.

Burridge, C.P. & White, R.W.G. 2000. Molecular phylogeny of the antitropical subgenus Goniistius (Perciformes: Cheilodactylidae: Cheilodactylus): evidence for multiple transequatorial divergences and non-monophyly. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 70: 435-458.

Choat, J.H. & K.D. Clements. 1992. Diet in Odacid and Aplodactylid fishes from Australia and New Zealand. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 43(6): 1451-1459.

Cole, R.G. 2001. Patterns of abundance and population size structure of herbivorous fishes at the subtropical Kermadec Islands and in mainland New Zealand. New Zealand Journal Marine and Freshwater Research 35: 445-456.

Coleman, N. 1980. Australian Sea Fishes South of 30ºS. Lane Cove, NSW : Doubleday Australia Pty Ltd 309 pp. 

Edgar, G.J. 2008. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Sydney : Reed New Holland 2nd edn, 624 pp. 

Francis, M. 2001. Coastal Fishes of New Zealand. Auckland : Reed Publishing (NZ) 3rd edn, 103 pp. 

Gill, T.N. 1862. Synopsis of the family of cirrhitoids. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 14(3): 102-122 (as Dactylosargus arctidens)

Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp. 

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. 

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. 

Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs. (as Dactylosargus arctidens)

Paulin, C., Stewart, A., Roberts, C. & McMillan, P. 1989. New Zealand fish: a complete guide. National Museum of New Zealand Miscellaneous Series 19: 1-279 

Paulin, C.D. & Roberts, C.D. 1992. The rockpool fishes of New Zealand. Te ika aaria o Aotearoa. Wellington : Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa 177 pp. 

Richardson, J. 1839. Account of a collection of fishes from Port Arthur, Van Diemen's Land. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 7: 95-100 See ref at BHL

Richardson, J. 1842. Descriptions of Australian fish. Part 1. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 3(1): 69-131 figs 4-6 (as Aplodactylus meandratus) See ref at BHL

Russell, B.C. 1983. The food and feeding habits of rocky reef fish of north-eastern New Zealand. New Zealand Journal Marine and Freshwater Research 17(2): 121-145.

Russell, B.C. 1994. Family Aploadactylidae. pp. 642-643, figs 564-565 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.

Russell, B.C. 2000. Review of the southern temperate fish family Aplodactylidae (Pisces: Perciformes). Journal of Natural History 34: 2157-2171.

Russell, B.C. 2008. Family Aplodactylidae. pp. 623-624 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Stewart, A.L. 2015. 198 Family Aplodactylidae, pp. 1344-1346 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. (eds) The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 4 pp. 1153-1748.

Taylor, R.B. & Willis, T.J. 1998. Relationships amongst length, weight and growth of north-eastern New Zealand reef fishes. Marine and Freshwater Research 49: 255-260.

Thominot, A. 1883. Note sur un poisson de genre nouveau appartenant à la famille des sparidées. Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société Philomathique de Paris 7 7: 140-141 (as Parhaplodactylus marmoratus)

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37376001

Depth:0-40 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:65 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map