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Black Reef Leatherjacket
Eubalichthys bucephalus (Whitley, 1931)
Black Reef Leatherjackets at Shark Point, New South Wales. Photo: Ákos Lumnitzer. View larger image.
A Black Reef Leatherjacket at a depth of 10 m, Bass Point, Shellharbour, New South Wales, June 2004. Photo: Sasha Schulz. View larger image.
The Black Reef Leatherjacket can be recognised by its brown to black body colour and white ring around the eyes. Juveniles are brown or green with spots which fade with growth. This species has a strong, barbed dorsal fin spine above the eyes.
The Black Reef Leatherjacket grows to 40 cm in length.
It lives on coastal and offshore reefs in depths of 10 m to at least 250 m. It is often seen in pairs.
This species is endemic to Australia, occurring in temperate marine waters from northern New South Wales to south-western Western Australia. It is not known from Tasmania.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
View a low resolution movie clip (202k) of this species. Go to the movies page for high and low resolution versions.
Related links
- Mosaic Leatherjacket fact sheet
- View the Leatherjackets list
Further reading
- Hutchins, J.B. 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.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
