Spotted Bigeye, Priacanthus macracanthus Cuvier 1829


Other Names: Bigeye, Brownspot Bigeye, Bullseye Perch, Large-spined Big-eye, Red Bigeye, Red Bullseye, Spotted Big-eye, Spotted-fin Glasseye

A Spotted Bigeye, Priacanthus macracanthus, in Clifton Gardens, Sydney Harbour, New South Wales. Source: John Turnbull / Flickr. License: CC BY Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A silvery to bright red bigeye with brownish to yellowish-brown spots on the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins. Individuals often have a blotchy pattern. The body of the Spotted Bigeye tapers slightly below the middle of the soft dorsal fin, then tapers abruptly to the caudal peduncle.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2019, Priacanthus macracanthus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1831

Spotted Bigeye, Priacanthus macracanthus Cuvier 1829

More Info


Distribution

Widespread in Australia from Cape Cuvier, Western Australia (including off shore reefs), and Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Timor Sea, around the north and east coasts to Lakes Entrance, Victoria; also at Middleton Reef in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere, the species occurs in the tropical and subtropical east-Indo-west Pacific: Andaman Sea and Arafura Sea east to the Philippines and New Guinea, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia.

Inhabits inshore and offshore reefs, sheltering beneath ledges, around coral heads and aggregating over open areas in depths of 12-400 m. 

Features

Dorsal fin X, 12-14; Anal fin III, 13-14.

Feeding

Feeds on crustaceans and bony fishes.

Fisheries

Fished commercially and recreationally in parts of its range.

Similar Species

Differs from the similarDeepsea Bigeye, Priacanthus fitchi, in having a slightly deeper body posteriorly, and brown to yellowish-brown spots on the membranes of the dorsal and anal fins.

Species Citation

Priacanthus macracanthus Cuvier, in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1829, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons Vol. 3: 108. Type locality: Ambon Island, Molucca Islands, Indonesia (as Amboina).

Author

Bray, D.J. 2019

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Spotted Bigeye, Priacanthus macracanthus Cuvier 1829

References


Allen, G.R. & M.V. Erdmann. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Vols I-III. University of Hawai'i Press, Tropical Reef Research.

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls.

Blaber, S.J.M., Brewer, D.T. & Harris, A.N. 1994. Distribution, biomass and community structure of demersal fishes of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 45(3): 375-396.

Carpenter, K.E., Lawrence, A. & Myers, R. 2016. Priacanthus macracanthus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T69545534A69545844. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69545534A69545844.en. Downloaded on 12 November 2019.

Castelnau, F.L. de 1873. Contribution to the ichthyology of Australia. 6. Notes on fishes from Knob Island. Proceedings of the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria 2: 98-109 (described as Priacanthus bleekeri)

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

Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1829. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 3 500 pp., pls 41-71. See ref at BHL

Gill, A.C. & Reader, S.E. 1992. Fishes. pp. 90-93 in Hutchings, P. (ed.). Reef Biology. A Survey of Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, South Pacific. Canberra : Australian National Parks Vol. 3, Kowari 230 pp.

Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp.

Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp.

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. 1992. Tropical Reef-Fishes of the Western Pacific, Indonesia and Adjacent Waters. Jakarta : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama 314 pp. pls.

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

Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293

Liu, K.-M., Chen, C.-T. & Yang, R.-H. 1999. Estimates of age and growth on the Big Eye Priacanthus macracanthus in the northeastern Taiwan Waters. Fisheries Science 65(2): 211-217.  

Liu, K.-M., Hung, K.-Y. & Chen, C.-T. 2001. Reproductive biology of the big eye Priacanthus macracanthus in the north-eastern waters off Taiwan. Fisheries Science 2001(67): 1008-1014.

May, J.L. & Maxwell, J.G.H. 1986. Field Guide to Trawl Fish from Temperate Waters of Australia. Hobart : CSIRO Division of Marine Research 492 pp.

Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1985. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls.

Starnes, W.C. 1988. Revision, phylogeny and biogeographic comments on the circumtropical marine percoid fish family Priacanthidae. Bulletin of Marine Science 43(2): 117-203. See ref online

Starnes, W.C. 1999. Family Priacanthidae. pp. 2590-2601 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 2069-2790 pp.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37326001

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:15-400 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:36 cm

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map