Species Epinephelus merra Bloch, 1793
Birdwire Rockcod, Black-spotted Rock-cod, Common Birdwire Rockcod, Dwarf Spotted Rockcod, Dwarf Spotter Grouper, Honeycomb Cod, Honeycomb Grouper, Honeycomb Rock-cod, Wire-netting Cod, Wire-netting Rock-cod
- Epinephelus merra Bloch, M.E. 1793. Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische. Berlin : J. Morino Vol. 7 144 pp. pls 324-360. [17, pl. 329].
Type data:
Lectotype ZMB 8716, Japan.
Paralectotype(s) ZMB.
Generic Combinations
- Serranus merra (Bloch, 1793). —
Fowler, H.W. & Bean, B.A. 1930. Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. The fishes of the families Amiidae, Chandidae, Duleidae and Serranidae, obtained by the United States Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross, in 1907 to 1910, chiefly in the Philippine Islands and adjacent seas. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 100(10): 1-334 figs 1-27 [268]
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Exmouth, WA (22º05´S) to Botany Bay, NSW (33º59´S), apparently absent from NT, also Rowley Shoals (17º30'S) and Scott Reef (14º05'S), WA, Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea (12º15'S, 123º02'E), Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean, Coral Sea reefs from Ashmore Reef (10º04'S, 144º29'E) to Herald Cays (16º57'S, 149º11"E), and Middleton Reef, Elizabeth Reef, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, Tasman Sea; tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific; frequently confused with E. quoyanus.
IMCRA
Timor Transition (1), Lord Howe Province (14), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Cape Province (20), Norfolk Island Province (21), Cocos (Keeling) Island Province (22), Christmas Island Province (23), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Northwest Transition (3), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)
Other Regions
Coral Sea Islands Territory, Territory of Ashmore & Cartier Islands, Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater
Distribution References
- Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2 [394]
- Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21 [9]
- Choat, J.H., van Herwerden, L., Robbins, W.D., Hobbs, J.P. & Ayling, A.M. 2006. A report on the ecological surveys undertaken at Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs, February 2006. Report by James Cook University to the Department of the Environment and Heritage. 65 pp. [53]
- Francis, M. 1993. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science 47(2): 136-170 figs 1-2 [160] (Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island)
- Gill, A.C. & Reader, S.E. 1992. Fishes. pp. 90-93, 193-228 in Hutchings, P. (ed.). Reef Biology. A Survey of Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, South Pacific. Canberra : Australian National Parks Vol. 3, Kowari 230 pp.
- Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S.J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Checklist and new records of Christmas Island fishes: the influence of isolation, biogeography and habitat availability on species abundance and community composition. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 184–202 [194]
- Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S .J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands: new records, community composition and biogeographic significance. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 203–219 [210]
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J. & Gates, J.E. 2006. Tribe Epinephelini. pp. 1002-1025 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [1014] (in part, NT records apparently in error)
- Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Biodiversity of shallow reef fish assemblages in Western Australia using a rapid censusing technique. Records of the Western Australian Museum 20: 247-270 [262]
- Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. [496] (in part, NT records apparently in error)
- Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2 [41]
- Speare, P., Cappo, M., Rees, M., Brownlie, J. & Oxley, W. 2004. Deep water fish and benthic surveys in the Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters): February 2004. Townsville : Australian Institute of Marine Sciences. 30 pp. [50]
Ecological Descriptors
Benthic, coral reef, inshore, marine.
Extra Ecological Information
2-50 m, usually above 20 m.
General References
Heemstra, P.C. & Randall, J.E. 1999. Family Serranidae. pp. 2442-2548 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790. [2512]
Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Checklist of the fishes of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 63: 9-50 [30]
Johnson, J.W. 1999. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 43(2): 709-762 [730]
McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part II. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 145–329 [147]
Munro, I.S.R. 1961. Handbook of Australian fishes. Nos 1–42. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 15–17, 19, 20: 1-172 [published as separates 1956–1961] [164] (980)
Randall, J.E. & Heemstra, P.C. 1991. Revision of Indo-Pacific groupers (Perciformes: Serranidae: Epinephelinae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 20: 1-332 [205]
Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [41] (817)
Common Name References
Heemstra, P.C. & Randall, J.E. 1993. Groupers of the World (Family Serranidae, Subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125 Vol. 16. Rome: FAO. pp. 1-382 [192] (Dwarf Spotted Rockcod, Honeycomb Grouper, Wire-netting Cod)
Kuiter, R.H. 1992. Tropical Reef-Fishes of the Western Pacific, Indonesia and Adjacent Waters. Jakarta : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama 314 pp. pls. [26] (Black-spotted Rock-cod)
Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. [130] (Honeycomb Cod)
Munro, I.S.R. 1961. Handbook of Australian fishes. Nos 1–42. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 15–17, 19, 20: 1-172 [published as separates 1956–1961] [164] (Honeycomb Rock-cod, Wire-netting Rock-cod)
Randall, J.E. & Heemstra, P.C. 1991. Revision of Indo-Pacific groupers (Perciformes: Serranidae: Epinephelinae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 20: 1-332 [205] (Dwarf Spotter Grouper)
Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Birdwire Rockcod)
Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Standard names of Australian fishes. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper 9: 1-64 [38] (Birdwire Rockcod, Honeycomb Grouper)
Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (eds) 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 460 pp. [225] (Common Birdwire Rockcod)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-Sep-2019 | SERRANIDAE | 05-Sep-2019 | MODIFIED | Dr Doug Hoese Dr Matthew Lockett |
| 03-Dec-2012 | 03-Dec-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 30-Mar-2010 | MODIFIED |