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Southern Gurnard Perch
Maxillicosta meridianus Motomura, Last & Gomon, 2006

Family

Neosebastidae

Size

8 cm

Distribution

Endemic to south-eastern Australia

Depth

10 m - 137 m

A Southern Gurnard Perch at a depth of 4 m, Kingscote Jetty, Kangaroo Island, South Australia, January 2000. Photo © D. Muirhead. View larger image.

A Southern Gurnard Perch at the Glenelg tyre reef, South Australia, May 1998. Photo © D. Muirhead. View larger image.

Line drawing showing lateral views of the left nasal spines of A) Southern Gurnard Perch (CSIRO A 4252 – holotype) and B) Whitley’s Gurnard Perch NMV A 16546. AM = anterior margin. Illustration from Motomura et al (2006: fig. 3). Illustration © H. Motomura. View larger image.

Caudal fins of preserved specimens. A) Southern Gurnard Perch (NMV A 2678) and B) Whitley’s Gurnard Perch (AMS I.26023-003). Figure from Motomura et al (2006: fig. 7). Photo © H. Motomura. View larger image.

The Southern Gurnard Perch has a relatively shallow body that becomes increasingly compressed posteriorly. It has a large, slightly oblique mouth. Specimens photographed at night have three dark blotches or saddles on the back, a black blotch on the dorsal fin and pale brown spots on the caudal fin.

This species is endemic to south-eastern Australia, occurring from eastern Victoria to eastern South Australia and northern Tasmania.

It is usually buried in sandy channels during the day and exposed at night.

The species name ‘meridianus’ comes from the Latin for ‘southern’ and refers to the distribution in southern Australia.

The Southern Gurnard Perch has previously been confused with Whitley’s Gurnard Perch, Maxillicosta whitleyi. The species have different caudal fin markings (in preserved specimens) and nasal spine morphology. For additional differences, see Motomura et al (2006).

Related links

• Bigeye Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Little Red Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Little Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Whitley's Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• View the Family Neosebastidae list
• View the Scorpionfishes list
• View the Scorpionfishes of Australia list

Further reading

1. Poss, S.G. 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. (as M. whitleyi)
2. Motomura, H., Last, P.R. & M.F. Gomon. 2006. A New species of the Scorpionfish Genus Maxillicosta from the Southeast Coast of Australia, with a Redescription of M. whitleyi (Scorpaeniformes: Neosebastidae). Copeia 3: 445-459.