Yellowspotted Rockcod, Epinephelus areolatus (Forsskal 1775)
Other Names: Areolate Grouper, Areolate Rock Cod, Areolate Rockcod, Areolated Grouper, Green-spotted Rock-cod, Squaretail Grouper, Squaretail Rock-cod, Yellow Spot Rock Cod, Yellow Spotted Rock Cod, Yellow Spotted Rockcod, Yellow-spotted Rockcod, Yellow-spotted Rock-cod
A Yellowspotted Rockcod, Epinephelus areolatus, at Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia. Source: Dennis Polack / FishWise Professional. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Summary:
A pale grouper with a dense covering of large round orange to brown spots that become more numerous and relatively smaller as the fish grows, and a truncate tail with a narrow white margin.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2019, Epinephelus areolatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 07 Oct 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4663
Yellowspotted Rockcod, Epinephelus areolatus (Forsskal 1775)
More Info
Distribution |
North West Cape and offshore reefs of north Western Australia to off Bowen, Queensland; also reefs in the Lord Howe Island region in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific. Inhabits soft sediment areas adjacent to reefs. |
Features |
Dorsal fin XI, 15-17; Anal fin III, 8; Pectoral fin 17-19; Gill rakers (first arch) 8-10 + 14-16; Lateral-line scales 49-53; Pyloric caeca 11-17. Body depth less than head length, 2.7-3.3 in SL (for specimens 14-31 cm SL); head length 2.4-2.8 in SL; preopercle with 2-7 enlarged serrae at the angle; upper edge of operculum straight or slightly convex; midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth. Body scales ctenoid, cycloid scales on thorax and ventrally on abdomen; body with auxiliary scales.Anal fin of adults rounded to slightly angular, longest soft ray 2.0-2.6 in HL; caudal fin slightly convex in juveniles, truncate or slightly emarginate in adults. |
Colour |
Colour of head, body, and fins pale, covered with numerous close-set brown, brownish yellow or greenish yellow spots (becoming smaller and increase in number as growth increases), the largest about size of pupil, those on front of head smaller than those on operculum; pectoral fins pale, with small dark spots on the rays; posterior edge of caudal fin with a distinct white margin. |
Feeding |
Feed on fishes and benthic invertebrates, mainly prawns and crabs. |
Fisheries |
The species is taken in commercial trawl fisheries in northern Australia, and is also taken on hook and line by recreational anglers. |
Similar Species |
The Yellowspotted Rockcod lacks the dark blotches along the dorsal-fin base of the similar Frostback Rockcod, Epinephelus bilobatus. |
Species Citation |
Perca areolata Forskål 1775. Descriptiones Animalium: 42. Type locality: Jeddah, Red Sea. |
Author |
Bray, D.J. 2019 |
Resources |
Yellowspotted Rockcod, Epinephelus areolatus (Forsskal 1775)
References
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