Animal Species:Foxfish, Bodianus frenchii (Klunzinger, 1880)

Identification

The Foxfish is brown to red or orange with a pale chin and two spots on the back. Juveniles are brown with three yellowish patches and a black area around the pectoral fin base.

Size range

The species grows to 45 cm in length.

Distribution

The Foxfish is known from temperate marine waters of south-western Western Australia to eastern South Australia and from southern Queensland to eastern Tasmania.

This distribution has a distinct gap through Victoria. Some authors believe the name B.frenchii should only be used for fish from the western part of the distribution, with fish from eastern Australia being an undescribed species of Bodianus.

Habitat

It is usually seen under ledges and in caves.

Classification

Species:

frenchii

Genus:

Bodianus

Family:

Labridae

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

• Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
• Gomon, M.F. 2001. Descriptions of two new species of Bodianus (Perciformes: Labridae) from Australasian waters. New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 28: 407-416.
• Gomon, M.F. & B.C. Russell in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
• Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
• Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 15 June 2009