Animal Species:Southern Roughy, Trachichthys australis Shaw, 1799

The Southern Roughy has a very deep body with rough scales. The species is endemic to Australia.

Southern Roughy at North West Solitary Island

Southern Roughy at North West Solitary Island
Ian Shaw © Ian Shaw

Alternative Name/s

Pug-faced Roughy, Roughy

Identification

The Southern Roughy has a very deep body with rough scales. It has large eyes and a single tall dorsal fin. It is reddish-brown with a dark bar on the operculum and white fin spines. There are dark brown patches on the median fin rays.

Size range

The species grows to 17 cm in length.

Distribution

It is endemic to Australia, occurring in temperate coastal waters from southern Queensland to south-western Western Australia. The type locality for the species is Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), 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.

Trachichthys australis

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Southern Roughy specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Southern Roughy is a benthic species that is usually found on rocky reefs from shallow waters down to about 40 m in depth.

Other behaviours and adaptations

When disturbed this fish can produce a noxious milky substance that can disable other fishes.

Classification

Species:
australis
Genus:
Trachichthys
Family:
Trachichthyidae
Order:
Beryciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Southern Roughy, Trachichthys australis, Trachichthyidae, deep body, rough scales, endemic to Australia, Pug-faced Roughy, Roughy, 10 cm - 30 cm, large eyes, reddish-brown, stripes or bands, dark bar, temperate water, marine, coastal water, benthic, rocky reef, shallow water, round,