Common Name: Flagtail Rockcod

Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region: from Kenya and northern South Africa to French Polynesia and the Pitcairn Islands. In Australia recorded from Exmouth in Western Australia through the northern offshore reefs, the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, south to northern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents clear offshore reefs, lagoons, with healthy coral growth. Depth to 60 m but usually shallower 1 – 15 m.

Additional Notes: Bright red forebody, darkening towards the tail usually with broad dark bars, tail with distinctive white “V” pattern. Known to prefer shallow coral reef areas and therefore much affected by reef degradation. Feeds on small fishes and crustaceans. Grows to 28 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.89.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Cephalopholis-urodeta.html. Accessed 02/05/18.