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Eastern Wirrah
Acanthistius ocellatus (Günther, 1859)
An Eastern Wirrah at a depth of 12m, "Hole in the Wall", Northern Beaches, Sydney, New South Wales, December 2001. View larger image.
The Eastern Wirrah is a yellow to green colour and is covered by small blue-centred spots. It has a large mouth, three strong spines on the operculum and a round pupil.
This species grows to 45cm in length. It is often caught by anglers but it is such a poor eating fish, it is often called the Old Boot.
The Eastern Wirrah is found in a range of habitats from shallow rocky reefs to at least 100m depth. The banded juveniles are sometimes seen in rockpools, whereas the adults are usually observed in caves and under overhangs.
It has been recorded from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria, Tasmania, and Lord Howe Island. It is common in New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. in Gomon, M.F, C.J.M. Glover & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
