Blue-spotted Rockcod, Cephalopholis cyanostigma (Valenciennes, 1828)

Scientific name: Cephalopholis cyanostigma
  • Updated
    27/01/21
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Blue-spotted Rockcod, Cephalopholis cyanostigma Click to enlarge image
A Blue-spotted Rockcod at a depth of 18m, "Temple of Doom", Ribbon Reefs, north of Port Douglas, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, December 2000. Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Cephalopholis
    Species
    cyanostigma
    Family
    Serranidae
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 35 cm in length.

Identification

The Blue-spotted Rockcod is brown to orange-brown with numerous small blue spots on the head, body and fins. Each spot has a black margin and is surrounded by a white "halo".

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific.

In Australia it is recorded from the offshore reefs of north-western Western Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  3. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.