Aetapcus maculatus
Warty prowfish
Similar Species
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Variable in colour and markings, but often yellow-brown or gold. Typical shape and its flabby skin covered by wart-like lumps. The skin is shed in a single piece at regular intervals, an important process for a fish that remains immobile for most of its life, as it prevents the build-up of fouling organisms. It is difficult to detect in its natural habitat because it closely resembles the sponges among which it lives.
Information
Max Size: 21 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 11.6-22.1°C
Depth: 3-30m
Habitat Generalization Index: N/A
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Infrequent (7.8% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney