Sixspine Leatherjacket

About

Male Sixspine Leatherjackets are usually blue with yellow blotches. There are blue lines and dots on the head and below the dorsal and anal fins.

Females are pale green, yellow or brown and usually have three to five broad brown stripes.

The colour pattern can be variable. Fish across the distribution can look quite different.

Both sexes have five to eight spines on the caudal peduncle, those of male fish are longer

Size

Grows up to around 60cm

Habitat

Juveniles are found in shallow water, commonly in seagrass beds. Adults are found on coastal and offshore reefs, to depths of 50 m or more

Distribution

The Sixspine Leatherjacket is endemic to Australia. It occurs in southern Australian waters from northern New South Wales to Western Australia including Tasmania

Gallery

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📷 Marine Explorer 📷 wildroo 📷 wildroo

Local Sightings

2 recorded sightings in and around the area.

References & citations (3)

1. Bray, D.J. 2017, Meuschenia freycineti in Fishes of Australia (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)
2. The Australian Museum (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)
3. Redlist (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)