Common Name: Sergeant Baker

Distribution: Abundant in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Endemic to Australia with some reported from New Zealand. Recorded from around Perth in Western Australia, around the southern coastline north to southern Queensland. Also from the Bass Strait islands and Tasmania.

Ecological Notes: Frequents rocky reef and soft bottoms. Depth to 100 m.

Additional Notes: Body pale pink to red, usually with whitish blotches along sides. All fins with large reddish spots or blotches. Female, lower photograph, may be more red in colour. Male has long rays on dorsal fin, see top photograph. Solitary species often observed perching in one place and easily approached. Feeds on a variety of invertebrates and fishes. Grows to 60 cm.

References: Kuiter, R. H., Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Published by Crawford House Press Pty. Ltd., 1993. p.39.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=latropiscis+purpurissatus. Accessed 02/06/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Latropiscis-purpurissatus.html. Accessed 02/06/18.