Animal Species:Purple Rockcod, Epinephelus cyanopodus (Richardson, 1846)

Alternative Name/s

This species has also been called the Blue Maori or Blue Maori Cod.

Identification

The Purple Rockcod can be recognised by its light blue-grey body, which is covered with fine black spots.

Size range

1 m

Distribution

It occurs in tropical and subtropical marine waters throughout the Western Pacific.

In Australia it is known from the offshore reefs of north-western Western Australia and far northern Queensland south to the central coast of New South Wales.

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 Purple Rockcod specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The species is usually seen in lagoons and on coastal reefs around coral or rock outcrops. It lives in waters of 2 m to 150 m in depth.

Classification

Species:

cyanopodus

Genus:

Epinephelus

Family:

Serranidae

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. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
4. Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen & J.E. Hanley. 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol. 7 Pisces Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Survey. Pp. i-xii, 1-665.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 15 September 2012

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Purple Rockcod, Epinephelus cyanopodus, Serranidae, light blue-grey, black spots, dots/spots, lagoon, coastal reef, rock outcrop, Blue Maori, Blue Maori Cod, 30 cm - 1 m, tropical water, subtropical water, marine,