Animal Species:Midnight Seaperch, Macolor macularis (Fowler, 1931)

Alternative Name/s

Midnight Snapper

Identification

The Midnight Seaperch is a stout bodied fish that can be recognised by its colouration. It has a yellowish-brown head with blue spots and lines. The iris is usually yellow.

Size range

It grows to 55 cm in length.

Similar Species

It looks similar to the Black and White Snapper, Macolor niger. The two species can be separated by their colouration.

Distribution

The species occurs in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific.

In Australia it is known from the offshore islands of north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Midnight Seaperch specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:

macularis

Genus:

Macolor

Family:

Lutjanidae

Order:

Perciformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
2. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
3. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 4 April 2013

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Midnight Seaperch, Macolor macularis, tropical water, yellow, brown, blue spots, dots/spots, stripes or bands, blue stripes, stout body, 30 cm - 1 m, marine, Lutjanidae,