Eastern nannygai
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| Centroberyx affinis (Günther, 1859) |
The eastern nannygai, redfish, red snapper, golden snapper or koarea, Centroberyx affinis, is an alfonsino of the genus Centroberyx, found around eastern and southern Australia and northern New Zealand, at depths up to 400 metres. Their length is between 30 and 40 centimetres.
The eastern nannygai has spines and bony ridges over its head, and this, along with its large eyes and upturned mouth give this species a close resemblance to the roughy. The scales feel rough to the touch having coarse spines on their hind margin.
The colour is a glowing golden orange on the head, body, and fins, with darker red-orange longitudinal bands along each row of scales.
Eastern nannygai usually swim in large schools in water less than 50 metres deep, associated with large caves and archways, during daylight hours. At night they disperse into open water where they feed on large planktonic animals with their fine-toothed jaws.
They are taken commercially by net and are also easily caught by handline, and are excellent eating. The fin and head spines are extremely sharp and can cause painful wounds.
In spite of the word snapper being in some of its common names this fish is not related to the true snappers.
[edit] References
- Centroberyx affinis (TSN 622131). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 19 March 2006.
- "Centroberyx affinis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 978-0-00-216987-5
