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Cobbler
Gymnapistes marmoratus (Cuvier, 1829)
A Cobbler caught by S. Page in a prawn net at a depth of 0.6m, Lake Curalo, New South Wales, February 2003. View larger image.
The Cobbler has a mottled colouration of brown to dark brown blotches above grading to paler below. The blotches are less distinct in larger fish.
The 13 poisonous dorsal fin spines are each separated by incised (glossary) membrane. There is a large retrorse (backward-pointing) spine on either side of the head below the eye.
This species grows to 22cm in length.
It is endemic to (only found in) Australia. It occurs mainly in temperate estuarine waters from central New South Wales, around the south of the country and north to Perth, Western Australia.
The Cobbler resembles the Fortescue (view fact sheet). The Cobbler is scaleless but the Fortescue has scales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Poss, SG 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.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
