Gymnapistes marmoratus, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Graham Edgar
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Mottled black and white pattern which, from a distance, can be mistaken for that of a fortescue; however, the two species are easily separated because the soldierfish has smooth skin with no scales. They pose a hazard to barefoot bathers because of the venomous spines. In late winter and early spring adult soldierfish leave these shallow seagrass beds to congregate in deeper water in huge concentrations, presumably for spawning. The species is quite slow growing and large soldierfish are considerably older (more than 10 years) than most other species at the same size.
Information
Max Size: 23 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 10.2-23.2°C
Depth: 0-26m
Habitat: Seagrass, Soft sediment
Rarity
IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Infrequent (1% 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
Copyright to the photographs on this site belongs solely to the credited photographers. Any requests for usage can be directed to the photographer through
enquiries@reeflifesurvey.com.