Common Name: Peacock Rockcod

Distribution: Rare in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Ranges generally in the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to Durban, eastward to French Polynesia and the Pitcairn group, north to Southern Japan, south to northern Australia and Lord Howe Island. In Australia known from the central coast and offshore reefs of Western Australia, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, the Coral Sea, south to central New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coral reefs from the shallows to a depth of at least 40 m. Juveniles often in shallow protected coral thickets.

Additional Notes: Head, body and fins evenly covered in bright blue spots. Pale bars on posterior of body may or may not be present. Feeds on small fish and crustaceans. Has been implicated in cases of ciguatera poisoning. Grows to at least 60 cms.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.86.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Cephalopholis-argus.html. Accessed 30/04/18.