Tomato Rockcod, Cephalopholis sonnerati Click to enlarge image
A Tomato Rockcod at a depth of 12m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, 17 March 2012. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Cephalopholis
    Species
    sonnerati
    Family
    Serranidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    It grows to about 58 cm in length.

Introduction

Adult Tomato Rockcods are deep bodied with a hump-headed appearance. The species occurs in the Indo-West and Central Pacific regions.



Identification

The Tomato Rockcod is a deep bodied species with a hump-headed appearance. It is red to orange-red or brown, sometimes with brown, red or white spots.


Cephalopholis sonnerati
A Tomato Rockcod caught on hook and line at a depth of about 30m, off reef near Montebello Islands, Western Australia, August 2006. Image: A. Cooper
© A. Cooper

Habitat

It is a benthic species that occurs in coral reef and tropical inshore waters at depths from about 30 m to 100 m.

Distribution

The species occurs in the Indo-West and Central Pacific regions. In Australia it is known from tropical waters from the central coast of Western Australia to southern 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.



References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.