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Black Rockcod
Epinephelus daemelii (Günther, 1876)
A Black Rockcod at a depth of 15 m, South Solitary Island, New South Wales, December, 2000. Photo © I. Shaw. View larger image.
Mouth of a Black Rockcod. Note the canine teeth at the front of both jaws. Photo: J. King © Australian Museum. View larger image.
Head of a Black Rockcod. Note the outer row of canine teeth and the posterior nostril, which is larger than the anterior nostril. Photo: M. McGrouther © Australian Museum. View larger image.
A 340 mm SL Black Rockcod caught at a depth between 3 m and 10 m, Bermagui, New South Wales. (AMS I. 43615-001). Photo: T. Trnski © Australian Museum. View larger image.
The Black Rockcod can be recognised by a combination of features. These include the presence of canine teeth at the front of both jaws, posterior nostrils larger than the anterior nostrils and a grey to black background colour.
The species has small black spots and bars that are dark dorsally but fade ventrally. In larger fish these bars are often faint.
The Black Rockcod grows to at least 1.55 m in length
It occurs in Australia, New Zealand and the Kermadec Islands. In Australia it is known from coastal and offshore reefs and islands from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria. It is also known from Elizabeth Reef, Middleton Reef, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
The territorial nature of the Black Rockcod makes it vulnerable to spearfishing and angling. Declining numbers of Black Rockcod resulted in the species being declared protected in New South Wales waters in 1984. It is illegal to sell Black Rockcod in the state of New South Wales.
The Black Rockcod has also been called the Saddled Rock-cod and Saddletail Grouper.
Related links
- Estuary Cod fact sheet
- Flowery Cod fact sheet
- Potato Cod fact sheet
- Queensland Groper fact sheet
- View the Rockcods, Basslets, Coral Cods, Coral Trouts and Groupers list
Further reading
- 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.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Pogonoski, J. 2005. Black Rockcod. Nature Australia. 28(6): 20-21.
- Pogonoski, J.J., Pollard, D.A. & J.R. Paxton. 2002. Conservation Overview and Action Plan for Australian Threatened and Potentially Threatened Marine and Estuarine Fishes. Environment Australia. Pp. 375.
