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Dusky Morwong
Dactylophora nigricans (Richardson, 1850)
A Dusky Morwong at a depth of 6 m, Jervis Bay, New South Wales, August 2006. Photo © P. Lees. View larger image.
Above and below: A Dusky Morwong at a depth of 5 m, Rapid Bay Jetty, South Australia, December 2003. Photo: © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
The Dusky Morwong can be recognised by its colouration. Adults are greyish to brownish grey above and whitish below. Immature fish are silvery with rows of orangish spots on the sides of the body. There are dark spots on the dorsal and caudal fins. Juveniles are deeper bodied. They are silvery with dark bands on the upper sides that extend through the dorsal fin.
It grows to 1.2 m in length.
The species occurs on inshore rocky reefs. Larvae are usually found in seagrass beds.
The Dusky Morwong is endemic to Australia. It has been recorded in the literature from the central coast of Victoria to south-western Western Australia. The species also occurs in New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
The species has also been called Black Butterfish, Butter Perch, Butterfish, Nunckla, Nunda, Strongfish, and Tillywurti.
Related links
- Banded Morwong fact sheet
- Blue Morwong fact sheet
- Crested Morwong fact sheet
- Red Morwong fact sheet
- View the family Cheilodactylidae list
- View the Morwongs list
Further reading
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter R.H. 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.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
