Common Name: Coral Rockcod

Distribution: Relatively common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region, Red Sea to Durban, South Africa, north to Japan and most islands in the western Pacific region. In Australia recorded from the central coast of Western Australia, across the tropical north, south through Queensland to northern New South Wales and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents exposed coral and rocky reef in clear water, depth to at least 150 m.

Additional Notes: Juvenile approximately 40 mm in top photo. Individuals noted to stay in one location for a number of years, where they inhabit small caves and overhangs. Prey on small fishes and crustaceans. Recognisable by the black edged blue spots, orange unspotted pectoral fin and rounded tail fin. Variable colouration from pale cream to dark red with blue black posterior, sometimes displaying 3 or 4 pale diagonal stripes. Grows to 45cm. 

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.88.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.fishbase.se/summary/Cephalopholis-miniata.html. Accessed 11/04/18.