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Turretfish
Tetrosomus reipublicae (Whitley, 1930)
A Turretfish at a depth of 8 m, Camp Cove, Sydney, New South Wales, April, 1999. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
Turretfish are sometimes found washed up on beaches after storms. Photo: S. Reader © Australian Museum. View larger image.
The Turretfish has a hard carapace that is triangular in cross-section. It has a small mouth and a pointed snout. The dorsal fin is positioned further forward than the anal fin.
The colouration of this species varies from green to brown or pink with darker blotches. Some of the carapace plates have dark margins. As the fish ages it has increasing numbers of blue spots.
The Turretfish grows to 22 cm in length.
It occurs in a range of habitats from coral reef to inshore rocky reefs and seagrass beds.
It is known from marine waters throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. In Australia it is recorded from south-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the southern coast of New South Wales.
In many publications, this species has been listed as Tetrosomus concatenatus. This name is a junior synonym of the Atlantic species Lactophrys triqueter (Linnaeus, 1758).
A second species of the genus Tetrosomus is found in tropical Australian waters. The Humpback Turretfish, Tetrosomus gibbosus, occurs from north-western Western Australia to southern Queensland.
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life; the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- 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.
