Goldspotted Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus (Ehrenberg, 1830)

Scientific name: Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus
Alternative name/s:
Gold-spot Blubber-lips, Goldspot Sweetlip Bream, Lemon Sweetlips, Morwong, Netted Morwong, Netted Sweetlips, Rubberlip, Yellow-spotted Sweetlip
Goldspotted Sweetlips Click to enlarge image
A Goldspotted Sweetlips at a depth of 14 m, South Solitary Island, New South Wales, May 1998. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Plectorhinchus
    Species
    flavomaculatus
    Family
    Haemulidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 60 cm in length.

Introduction

The Goldspotted Sweetlips can be recognised by its colouration. It is found in tropical and some temperate marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

Identification

The Goldspotted Sweetlips can be recognised by its colouration. It is grey to brown with numerous yellow to orange spots on the body, dorsal fin and anal fin. Juveniles have orange and grey-blue lines on the head and body that break into spots as a fish ages. The caudal fin usually has a dusky ventral margin.

Distribution

The species occurs in tropical and some temperate marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific. In Australia it is known from the south-western coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the southern 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.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  3. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  4. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  5. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  6. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.