Animal Species:Tomato Rockcod, Cephalopholis sonnerati (Valenciennes, 1828)

Adult Tomato Rockcods are deep bodied with a hump-headed appearance. The species occurs in the Indo-West and Central Pacific regions.

Identification

The Tomato Rockcod is a deep bodied species with a hump-headed appearance. It is red to orange-red or brown, sometimes with brown, red or white spots.

Size range

It grows to about 58 cm in length.

Distribution

The species occurs in the Indo-West and Central Pacific regions. In Australia it is known from tropical waters from the central coast of Western Australia to southern 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.

Cephalopholis sonnerati

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Tomato Rockcod specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is a benthic species that occurs in coral reef and tropical inshore waters at depths from about 30 m to 100 m.

Classification

Species:
sonnerati
Genus:
Cephalopholis
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. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  4. 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:

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Tomato Rockcod, Cephalopholis sonnerati, Serranidae, deep-bodied, hump-headed, orange-red, brown, 30 cm - 1 m, benthic, coral reef, inshore water, tropical water, marine,