Description

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Dorsal spines (total): 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 20; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6 - 7; Vertebrae: 35. Adults have a short-based anal fin, pectoral fins with thickened lower rays, and are grey to blue-black with lighter mottling on the sides and light spots on the fins (Ref. 33616). It is distinguished from its congeners in having larger body scales (lateral-line scales 72± 82 vs. 83± 120) and absence of vomerine teeth (Ref. 86913).

Common Names

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Cockatoo fish , English , Australia

Cocky , English , Australia

Joey , English , Australia

Rock cale , English , Australia

Rock cocky , English , Australia

Sea carp , English , Australia

毛齒 , Mandarin Chinese , China

毛齿 , Mandarin Chinese , China

Taxonomic Hierarchy

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Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Centrarchiformes

Family: Aplodactylidae

Genus: Aplodactylus

Species: Aplodactylus lophodon Günther, 1859

Climate Zone

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Subtropical

Location

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Southwest Pacific: southeastern Australia only.

Biology

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Found on shallow exposed rocky shores, aggregating in high-energy zone, just below foaming surface to depths of about 10 m (Ref. 9002); in kelp and weed areas (Ref. 86913). Feed on either loose or attached weeds and algae (Ref. 9002); mainly consisting of Corallina pilulifera, together with smaller quantities of Ulva actuca, Jania and filamentous species such as Sphacelaria sp. (Ref. 86913).

Habitat

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demersal