Eastern fortescue
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Genus: Centropogon
Species:
C. australis
Binomial name
Centropogon australis
(Shaw ex White, 1890)
Synonyms[1]
  • Cottus australis Shaw ex White, 1790
  • Scorpaena jacksoniana Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
  • Tetraroge bellona De Vis, 1884
  • Tetraroge hamiltoni De Vis, 1884

The Eastern fortescue (Centropogon australis), also known as the fortesque, Southern fortescue, fortie or Southern bullrout, is a species of ray-finned fish, a waspfish belonging to the subfamily Tetraroginae of the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. It is found the coastal waters of eastern Australia.

Taxonomy

The Eastern fortescue was first formally described as Cottus australis in 1790 by the English biologist George Shaw in John White's Journal of a voyage to New South Wales.[2] In 1829 Cuvier and Valenciennes placed this taxon in the genus Apistus and in 1860 the Albert Günther created the genus Centropogon which included A. australis. In 1876 Pieter Bleeker designated it as the type species of Centropogon.[3] The specific name australis means "southern".[4]

Description

The Eastern fortescue has 15 or 16 spines and 7 to 9 soft rays in the dorsal fin while the anal fin has 3 spines and 5 soft rays.[1] The nasal bones have 2-3 spines and the supraocular ridge has 8–13 distinct, strong spines, The interorbital concave and is relatively deep. There is a covering of ctenoid scales except for a wide scaleless area above the lateral line which extends from the upper back of the head to underneath the spiny part of the dorsal fin. There is a large spine on either sie of the snout which the fish is able to project forwards. The overall colour is creamy to brown with darker irregular, vertical bars on the head and along the flanks.[5] This species attains a maximum total length of 15 cm (5.9 in).[1]

Distribution and habitat

The Eastern fortescue is endemic to eastern Australia where it is found in temperate waters[5] from Fraser Island in Queensland south to the estuary of the Powlett River in eastern Victoria.[5] It is found at depths from 1 to 30 m (3 ft 3 in to 98 ft 5 in) in seagrass beds in estuaries and in beds of sponges on inshore reefs.[1]

Biology

The Eastern fortescue is very common in the spring when they are breeding.[1] They are often encountered resting on the bottom in large numbers.[5] The dorsal fin spines are very venomous and can inflict painful wounds.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Centropogon australis" in FishBase. February 2022 version.
  2. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Centropogon". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Tetraroginae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  4. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (10 March 2022). "Order Perciformes (Part 10): Suborder Scorpaenoidei: Families Apistidae, Tetrarogidae, Synanceiidae, Aploacrinidae, Perryenidae, Eschmeyeridae, Pataceidae, Gnathanacanthidae, Congiopodidae and Zanclorhynchidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Bray, D.J. (2021). "Centropogon australis". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  6. ↑ Marl McGrouther (15 March 2021). "Fortescue, Centropogon australis (White, 1790)". Australian Museum. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
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