Common name: Cobia

Distribution: Common throughout the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide with the exception of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. In Australia, found from around Shark Bay in Western Australia across the tropical north of the continent, throughout the Gulf of Carpentaria, throughout coastal Queensland and New South Wales south to the Victorian border.

Ecological notes: Found in a variety of habitats: inshore around pilings and buoys and offshore around drifting or stationary objects. In the SIMP often associated with large rays, manta rays and sharks.

Additional notes: Feed on crabs, squid and fishes. Broad depressed head with distinctive stripes mean it is sometimes mistaken for the Slender Suckerfish, Echeneis naucrates, especially when seen in association with large manta or sting rays where it follows closely underneath.

References: FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Rachycentron-canadum.html Accessed 26/07/23.

Atlas of living Australia at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Rachycentron+canadum Accessed 26/07/23.