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Black-spotted Wrasse
Austrolabrus maculatus (Macleay, 1881)
A Black-spotted Wrasse at a depth of 8 m, Fly Point, Port Stephens, New South Wales, June 2004. View larger image. Photo: David Harasti.
A Black-spotted Wrasse at a depth of 12 m, Halifax Park Sponge Gardens Marine Reserve, Port Stephens, New South Wales, March 2004. View larger image. Photo: D. & L. Atkinson.
A Black-spotted Wrasse at a depth of 12 m, Halifax Park, Nelson Head, Port Stephens, New South Wales. View larger image. Photo: D. & L. Atkinson.
The Black-spotted Wrasse is pink to red-brown dorsally with numerous small dark spots, and pale to yellowish ventrally.
Juveniles and females have a white bar and white-edged black spot on the caudal peduncle. These markings are not present in adult males.
The Black-spotted Wrasse grows to 20 cm in length.
It is usually seen on rocky coastal reefs and sometimes in sponge gardens.
This species is endemic to Australia. It is known from two separate populations; an eastern population ranging from northern to southern New South Wales and a western population from the eastern coast of South Australia to the central coast of Western Australia.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
The genus Austrolabrus is monotypic (it only contains one species).
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Gomon, M.F. & B.C. Russell. 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.
