Bass groper

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Bass groper
Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Polyprionidae Genus: Polyprion Species: P. moeone
Binomial name
Polyprion moeone Phillipps, 1927

The bass groper, Polyprion moeone, is a wreckfish of the genus Polyprion, found around southern Australia, and New Zealand, at depths of between 30 and 800 m on rocky reefs on the upper continental shelf. Its length is between 60 and 200 cm.

The bass groper is quite similar to the hapuku, with which it is often confused. It is a solid heavy-bodied fish with large eyes, a short spiny dorsal fin, and a slightly protruding lower jaw. It is blue-grey in colour with a whitish belly.

The flesh of the bass groper is often sold as Hapuku.

[edit] References

• Polyprion moeone (TSN 641916). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 18 April 2006.
• "Polyprion moeone". 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