Animal Species:Yellowedge Coronation Trout, Variola louti (Forsskål, 1775)

The Yellowedge Coronation Cod is reddish above, often shading to orangish to white on the belly, with numerous small bluish or pinkish spots on the head, body and fins. it is found in tropical marine waters.

Yellowedge Coronation Trout at Ribbon Reefs

Yellowedge Coronation Trout at Ribbon Reefs
Erik Schlögl © Erik Schlögl

Alternative Name/s

Common Lyretail-cod, Coronation Grouper, Coronation Trout, Fairy Cod, Lunar Tail Rock Cod, Lunar-tailed Cod, Lyre-tail Cod, Moontail Seabass, Yellow-edged Lyretail

Identification

The Yellowedge Coronation Cod is a moderately elongate, compressed fish. It has small, mostly ctenoid scales on the body and cycloid scales on the head. The dorsal and anal fins have pointed posterior tips. The species is reddish above, often shading to orangish to white on the belly. There are numerous small bluish or pinkish spots on the head, body and fins. The posterior margins of the fins are yellow.

Size range

The species grow to 80 cm in length.

Distribution

The species occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific from close to the surface to over 100 m in depth. In Australia it is known from central and north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef to the central coast of New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Variola louti

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Yellowedge Coronation Troutspecimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:
louti
Genus:
Variola
Family:
Serranidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

 


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Yellowedge Coronation Trout, Variola louti, Serranidae, red, orange, pale underside, dots/spots, blue spots, pink spots, tropical water, marine, Common Lyretail-cod, Coronation Grouper, Coronation Trout, Fairy Cod, Lunar Tail Rock Cod, Lunar-tailed Cod, Lyre-tail Cod, Moontail Seabass, Yellow-edged Lyretail, elongate, 30 cm - 1 m, Great Barrier Reef,