Birdwire Rockcod, Epinephelus merra Bloch, 1793

Scientific name: Epinephelus merra
Alternative name/s:
Black-spotted Rock-cod, Dwarf Spotted Rockcod, Dwarf Spotter Grouper, Honeycomb Cod, Honeycomb Grouper, Wire-netting Cod, Wire-netting Rock-cod
Birdwire Rockcod Click to enlarge image
A Birdwire Rockcod at a depth of 8 m, Agincourt Reef, Great Barrier Reef off Port Douglas, Queensland, June 2002. Image: Erik Schlögl.
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Epinephelus
    Species
    merra
    Family
    Serranidae
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 28 cm in length.

Introduction

The Birdwire Rockcod is pale with round to hexagonal brown spots on the head, body and fins. It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific.

Identification

The Birdwire Rockcod is pale with round to hexagonal brown spots on the head, body and fins. Some of the spots on the side of the body are joined to form short irregular bands.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific. In Australia it is known from the western coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and 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.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  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. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  5. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
  6. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.