Australia country information

Common names: Brown rock-cod, Rankin cod, Rankin's cod
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: common (usually seen) | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Importance: commercial | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Aquaculture: never/rarely | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Distributed from about Geraldton to about the Wessel Islands in the Northern Territory. Commercial fishery: In Australian waters, rock cod are caught by demersal otter trawling, traps, droplines and handlines. In general however, they are not targeted in these fisheries, instead forming a major bycatch of emperor (Lethrinidae) and sea perch (Lutjanidae) fisheries. The highest recorded catches of rock cod in domestic fisheries up to 1989-90, were 39 t (Queensland, 1975-76), 14 t (Northern Territory, 1986-87) and 287 t (Western Australia, 1989-90). In 1993, the highest catches of rock cod were made by Australian stern trawlers on the North West Shelf. Larger rock cod were less abundant in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea. On the North West Shelf, demersal trap and line fishing occurs mainly in the Exmouth to Point Samson (114°-117° E) and Broome areas. Rankin's rock cod is the dominant rock cod in the fishery, comprising about 65% of the serranid catch. In the Northern Territory, demersal trap, handline and dropline fishing is carried out mainly in the 'Timor Box' (a region between 127.5°E and 131°E). In 1991, serranids comprised 22% of the total catch from the Timor Box. Fish trapping is confined to areas with hard sea floor which are not worked by demersal trawlers. The main serranid caught in the Northern Territory trap and dropline fishery is yellow-spotted rock cod (E. areolatus). Rankin's rock cod are also caught. In Queensland, rock cod are a component of the East Coast Reef Line Fishery. They are caught usually with handlines in shallower water and with droplines in deeper water. The main species caught are estuary rock cod, wire-netting cod (E. merra) and Maori cod (E. undulatostriatus). There is no information on the quantity of each species caught in Queensland. Rock cod also form a small part of the bycatch from demersal otter trawling in Queensland. Throughout northern Australia they are an incidental catch in bottom set longlines and gillnets. Smaller rock cod are marketed whole or gilled and gutted, either frozen or fresh chilled. Larger rock cod are sold whole but more often as fillets or cutlets. Recreational fishery: Recreational fisheries target large and small rock cod (eg Chinaman rock cod, E. rivulatus, and black-tipped rock cod, E. fasciatus) especially in inshore areas. They use lures, live bait or cut fish, jigs and deep-running troll lures. Rock cod can be hooked on single and double-handed casting tackle and jigs, or (for larger fish) heavy handlines. According to records of the Australian Underwater Federation the largest rock cod (possibly E. lanceolatus) caught weighed 233,000 g and was from southern Queensland. Museum: Western Australia, BMNH 1884.5.1.2; WAM P.23223, P.24890, P.25354, P.2847-001 (Holotype of E. rankini), P.13949. CSIRO CA898, from North West Cape to Darwin (Ref. 5978). Also Ref. 4787, 33390, 090102, 89707.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.csiro.au/
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Mérou plate grise, Mero de lunares, Rankin cod, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Perciformes/Serranoidei (Groupers) > Epinephelidae (Groupers)
Etymology: Epinephelus: Greek, epinephelos = cloudy (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Peters.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 110 m (Ref. 89707). Tropical; 30°N - 27°S, 33°E - 136°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf to southern Mozambique and eastward to Western Australia. Not known from the Red Sea.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - 50 cm
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5222); common length : 75.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5450); max. published weight: 9.0 kg (Ref. 3132)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Distinguished by the following characteristics: color is dark purplish gray with scattered irregular whitish spots and blotches which are faint or absent in preserved fish; ctenoid body scales except cycloid dorsoanteriorly below anterior half of spinous dorsal fin, thorax, abdomen and above anterior anal fin; body with numerous auxiliary scales; greatest depth of body 2.5-3.0 in SL; slightly emarginate to truncate caudal fin; short pelvic fins, 1.7-2.3 in head length (Ref. 90102); head length 2.4-2.7 times in SL; distinctly convex interorbital, slightly convex dorsal head profile; subangular preopercle, shallow notch just above the angle, serrae at angle not or slightly enlarged; upper edge of operculum straight; posterior nostrils of adults is twice the size of anterior nostrils; maxilla reaches vertical at rear edge of eye or thereabouts; ventral edge of maxilla of adults with distinct step distally; 2 rows of teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw (Ref. 89707).

Inhabit clear to turbid water in shallow as well as deep water (Ref. 4787). Juveniles are found in inshore coral reefs (Ref. 5222). They feed in water to more than 100 m depth (Ref. 27275). It has been suggested that juveniles mimic the herbivorous damselfish Neopomacentrus sindensis, presumably to get closer to their unsuspecting prey (Ref. 5222, 9710). Feed on small fishes and crabs. Probably spawn during restricted periods and form aggregations when doing so (Ref. 27352). Eggs and early larvae are probably pelagic (Ref. 6390). Solitary (Ref 90102).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Rock cod are protogynous hermaphrodites.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):382 p. (Ref. 5222)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 21 November 2016

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial

FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
Food rations
Predators

Ecology
Ecology
Home ranges

Population dynamics
Growths
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversions
Recruitments
Abundances

Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturities
Fecundities
Spawnings
Spawning aggregations
Egg(s)
Egg developments
Larvae
Larval dynamics

Distribution
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos

Anatomy
Gill areas
Brains
Otoliths

Physiology
Body compositions
Nutrients
Oxygen consumptions
Swimming type
Swimming speeds
Visual pigment(s)
Fish sounds
Diseases / Parasites
Toxicities (LC50s)

Genetics
Genetics
Electrophoreses
Heritabilities

Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.

Outreach
Collaborators

Taxonomy
Common names
Synonyms
Morphology
Morphometrics
Pictures

References
References

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 24.7 - 29.2, mean 27.3 (based on 386 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00977 (0.00571 - 0.01672), b=3.00 (2.86 - 3.14), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.9 ±0.66 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.27).

Prior r = 0.57, 95% CL = 0.37 - 0.85, Based on 1 data-limited stock assessment.

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100).

Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649): Very high vulnerability (82 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Very high.

Epinephelus multinotatus (Peters, 1876)