Eastern Orange Perch, Lepidoperca pulchella (Waite 1899)
Other Names: Lovely Perch, Orange Perch, Reef Perch, Reefies
A male Eastern Orange Perch, Lepidoperca pulchella, from off Lorne, Victoria, June 2019, depth 30 m. Source: Keith Miller / Lorne Aquatic & Angling Club. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A reddish perch becoming orange on the sides and often paler below, with yellow fins, a pale pink stripe from the upper jaw to the lower part of the gill cover, and a dark mark on each scale forming longitudinal lines along the back. Males have a large black blotch at the front of the soft part of the dorsal fin.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2019, Lepidoperca pulchella in Fishes of Australia, accessed 17 Sep 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/4380
Eastern Orange Perch, Lepidoperca pulchella (Waite 1899)
More Info
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Distribution |
Endemic to south-eastern Australia, from Byron Bay, New South Wales, to off Lorne, Victoria, and around Tasmania. Inhabits reefs at depths to 440 m. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin X, 16–17; Anal fin III, 7–8; Caudal fin 17; Pectoral fin 16–17; Pelvic fin I, 5; Lateral line scales 42–46 Body depth 36–43% SL; head length 34–39% SL; eye diameter 28–39% HL; 5 scales between lateral line and dorsal fin; spinous part of dorsal fin covered with scales basally; pectoral fin elongate. |
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Colour |
Red above with dark mark in the centre of each scale forming longitudinal lines along back, orange on sides; fins yellow; males with large black blotch at forward end of soft part of dorsal fin. |
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Fisheries |
Occasionally taken as bycatch in commercial trawls, and also on hook and line. |
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Species Citation |
Anthias pulchellus Waite 1899, Mem. Aust. Mus. 4: 77, pl. 12. Type locality: off Wollongong, New South Wales. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2019 |
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Resources |
Eastern Orange Perch, Lepidoperca pulchella (Waite 1899)
References
Kuiter, R.H. 1994. Families Serranidae, Callanthiidae. pp. 528-548 figs 469-485 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.
Kuiter, R.H. 2004. Basslets, Hamlets and their relatives. A comprehensive guide to selected Serranidae and Plesiopidae. Chorleywood, UK : TMC Publishing 1, 216 pp.
Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs.
May, J.L. & Maxwell, J.G.H. 1986. Trawl fish from temperate waters of Australia. CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research, Tasmania. 492 pp.
Roberts, C.D. 1987. New Australian fishes. Part 19. A new species of Lepidoperca (Serranidae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 48(1): 83-84. DOI https://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.1987.48.19, open access
Roberts, C.D. 1989. A revision of New Zealand and Australian orange perches (Teleostei; Serranidae) previously referred to Lepidoperca pulchella (Waite) with description of a new species of Lepidoperca from New Zealand. Journal of Natural History 23(3): 557-589 https://doi.org/10.1080/00222938900770321
Roberts, C.D. & Gomon, M.F. 2008. Families Polyprionidae, Serranidae and Callanthiidae. pp. 534-549 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.
Waite, E.R. 1899. Scientific results of the trawling expedition of H.M.C.S. Thetis off the coast of New South Wales. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4: 1-132 figs 1-10 pls 1-319 See ref online, open access
