Redfish, Centroberyx affinis (Günther 1859)

Other Names: Eastern Nannygai, Golden Snapper, King Snapper, Koarea, Nannygai, Red Snapper, Red Squirrel-fish

A Redfish, Centroberyx affinis, at the Poor Knights Marine Reserve, northern New Zealand. Source: Andrew J. Green / Reef life Survey. License: CC by Attribution

Summary:

A deep orange-red to silvery-blue redfish, darker above than below, with a pale red spot and golden margin on each body scale, forming narrow horizontal lines or stripes along the sides. The head and eye are red, the pectoral fin is translucent with a pinkish-yellow base, and the other fins are orange to red.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2025, Centroberyx affinis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 22 Jun 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3742

Redfish, Centroberyx affinis (Günther 1859)

More Info

Distribution	Known from off Fraser Island, Queensland, to Central Bass Strait, Victoria, including eastern Tasmania to about Port Arthur; also the Lord Howe Province and off Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species occurs in the south-west Pacific (New Zealand and New Caledonia). Inhabits rocky reefs and muddy areas on the continental shelf and upper slope. Forms dense schools near the bottom during the day, before dispersing into the water column to feed at night. Juveniles aggregate in estuaries and shallow coastal waters, or shelter in caves and ledges during the day.
Feeding	Feed on small fishes, crustaceans and molluscs
Fisheries	Targeted by commercial and recreational fisheries in Australia, especially in trawl fisheries in New South Wales and eastern Victoria, where the majority of the catch is taken in trawls from depths of 100 to 200 m. The species is also taken as bycatch in New Zealand commercial and recreational fisheries.
Conservation	As a long lived, schooling species, it is particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin affinis (= allied, related to, similar to), in reference to the close relationship ("closely allied") between this species and Centroberyx lineatus.
Species Citation	Beryx affinis Günther 1859, Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum 1: 13. Type locality: coasts of Australia.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2025
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Redfish, Centroberyx affinis (Günther 1859)

References

Bessell-Browne, P., Tuck, G. & Krueck, N. 2024. Centroberyx affinis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T123356310A123356632. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T123356310A123356632.en. Accessed on 16 April 2025.

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

Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. 544 pp.

Günther, A. 1859. Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the collection of the British Museum. Gasterosteidae, Berycidae, Percidae, Aphredoderidae, Pristipomatidae, Mullidae, Sparidae. London : British Museum Vol. 1 524 pp. See ref at BHL

Johnson, J.W. 1999. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 43(2): 709-762

Kailola, P.J., Williams, M.J., Stewart, P.C., Reichelt, R.E., McNee, A. & Grieve, C. 1993. Australian Fisheries Resources. Canberra : Bureau of Resource Sciences and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation 422 pp.

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

Kuiter, R.H. 1994. Family Berycidae. pp. 392-398 figs 352-357 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. 1996. Guide to sea fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.

May, J.L. & Maxwell, J.G.H.1986. Trawl fish from temperate waters of Australia. Hobart Tasmania : CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research. 492 pp.

McCulloch, A.R. 1911. Report on the fishes obtained by the F.I.S. Endeavour on the coasts of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Part 1. Zoological (Biological) Results. Endeavour 1(1): 1-87 figs 1-20 pls 1-16 (p. 39, as Austroberyx affinis)

Miskiewicz, A.G., Bruce, B.D. & Trnski, T. 1998. Berycidae: redfishes, nannygais, alfonsinos. pp. 104-107 in Neira, F.J., Miskiewicz, A.G. & Trnski, T. (eds.) Larvae of temperate Australian fishes: laboratory guide for larval fish identification. Perth, Western Australia : University of Western Australia Press. 474 pp.

Morison, A.K. & Rowling, K.R. 2001. Age, growth and mortality of redfish Centroberyx affinis. Marine and Freshwater Research 52(4): 637-649. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF00016

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Family Berycidae. pp. 2218-2224 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 2069-2790pp.

Roberts, C.D. 2015. Family Berycidae. pp. 1018-1021 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 3 pp. 577-1152.

Roberts, C.D. & Gomon, M.F. 2008. Family Berycidae. pp. 415-419 in Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Rowling, K.R. 1994. Redfish, Centroberyx affinis, pp.149-158 in Tilzey, R.D.J (ed.) The South East Fishery: a scientific review with reference to quota management. Bureau of Resource Sciences, Australian Government Print Service, Canberra, 360 pp.

Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (eds) 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 460 pp.