(Image credit: Rick Stuart-Smith, Reef Life Survey)

The spotted grubfish is pale greyish to brown above, whitish below, with a series of small dark close-set spots forming a line along the upper side; large black spots or blotches along the lower side; upper side of tail base with a large black spot; front of dorsal fin with a dark area; caudal fin with a broad dark margin. Juveniles with yellowish to orange blotches along lower sides and a black spot surrounded by a white margin on the tail base.

Length: Up to 20 cm

Habitat

Sheltered bays, estuaries and in deeper offshore waters, on sandy or muddy bottoms near reefs; 5-80 m depth

Log it

Log all sightings in Victorian waters

Related links/info

Species names on the Redmap site are based on the Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota or CAAB (http://www.cmar.csiro.au/caab/). This is updated regularly and lists the approved common name, family, species name and more.

Redmap species descriptions were based, with permission, on the following resources:

Australian Marine Life: The Plants and Animals of Temperate Waters by G. J. Edgar, Revised Ed. (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Fishes of Australia’s Southern Coast, Edited by M. Gomon. D. Bray and R. Kuiter (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Find further information and images at FISHES OF AUSTRALIA http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/