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Mosaic Leatherjacket
Eubalichthys mosaicus (Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886)
A Mosaic Leatherjacket at a depth of 18m, North West Solitary Island, New South Wales, February 2002. View larger image.
A juvenile Mosaic Leatherjacket photographed at night, at a depth of 14m, Bare Island, Sydney, New South Wales, December 1998. View larger image.
The Mosaic Leatherjacket is a deep-bodied fish with a strong dorsal spine above the eyes, narrow gill openings and minute scales.
Adults are blue to brownish-grey with yellowish-brown stripes and blotches. All the fins are blue-green. Juveniles are yellow to brown and patterned with wavy blue to grey lines and orange-bordered brown blotches.
It grows to at least 60cm in length, and is an excellent eating fish.
The juvenile Mosaic Leatherjacket is known to live in the shallow waters of estuaries, while adults are found on deep offshore reefs.
It has a widespread distribution around the southern half of Australia.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Hutchins, J.B. in Gomon, M.F, C.J.M. Glover & 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. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Last, P.R, E.O.G. Scott & F.H. Talbot. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority. Pp. 563.
