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Flowery Cod
Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål, 1775)
A Flowery Cod at a depth of 12m, 'Cod Hole', Ribbon Reefs north of Port Douglas, Queensland, December 1999. View larger image.
The Flowery Cod is light yellowish brown with large irregular-shaped dark blotches on the head, back and sides. The head, body and fins have small dark spots. There is a dark spot on the caudal peduncle (glossary).
This species grows to 90cm in length.
It occurs on coral and rocky reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific.
In Australia it is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to southern Queensland.
The Flowery Cod is often confused with the Small-toothed Cod Epinephelus polyphekadion. The latter species has more distinct oblique bands, a larger spot on the caudal peduncle and fewer pectoral fin rays (16 to 17 versus 18 to 20).
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
