Red morwong
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Goniistius fuscus (Castelnau, 1879) |
The red morwong, Goniistius fuscus, is a morwong of the genus Goniistius, found off southeast Australia and the North Island of New Zealand from shallow depths to 50 m, on rocky reef and coastal areas. Its length is between 30 and 60 cm.
The red morwong is a fairly large fish similar in general shape and size to the painted moki, but differs in colour pattern and also in the presence of two elongated pectoral fin rays on each side. Red morwong are red-brown on the back and silver beneath with a pattern of white markings on the head and about six narrow white bars on the caudal fin and peduncle. The pectoral fins are red.
While common in Australia these fish are only occasionally encountered off the north east coast of New Zealand. Its thick rubbery lips enables it to suck up sediment containing small invertebrates, which is its method of feeding.
[edit] References
- "Goniistius fuscus". 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 0-00-216987-8
