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Blackspotted Gurnard Perch
Neosebastes nigropunctatus McCulloch, 1915

Family

Neosebastidae

Size

35 cm

Distribution

Endemic: South Australia to south-western Western Australia

Depth

60 m - 550 m

A 236 mm SL Blackspotted Gurnard Perch from Ocean Reef, Western Australia (WAM P.27359-001). Photo © B. Hutchins. View larger image.

Bilobed pectoral fin of the fish in the image above. Photo © B. Hutchins. View larger image.

The Blackspotted Gurnard Perch has a whitish or brown (rarely reddish) body with indistinct dark spots scattered on the posterior part of the head and the sides of the body. There are no black spots on the fin membranes.

This species can be distinguished from all other Neosebastes by the following combination of characters: the distal margin of the pectoral fin is bilobed, the underside of the mandible has three distinct pores on each side and there is no black blotch on the soft-rayed portion of the dorsal fin.

The Blackspotted Gurnard Perch is a common species.

View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.

Related links

• Gulf Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Incised Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Johnson's Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Long-snout Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• View the Scorpionfishes list
• View the Scorpionfishes of Australia list

Further reading

1. Motomura, H. 2004. Revision of the scorpionfish genus Neosebastes (Scorpaeniformes: Neosebastidae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes. 37: 1-76, pl. 1-2.