Introduction

The cobia, also known in Australia as the black kingfish, is the only member of the family Rachycentridae. It lives in tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans except the eastern Pacific (Smith 1986). The cobia is related to the dolphinfishes of the family Coryphaenidae and remoras of the family Echeneidae (Johnson 1984). Two recent studies (O'Tool 2002; Gray et al. 2009) have shown that the family along with the Echeneidae and Coryphaenidae form a monophyletic group, the superfamily Echeneoidea.

Cobia is a pelagic fish that occurs both inshore and over the continental shelf, where it is prized as a gamefish. The species attains at least 1.7 m in length (Hutchins & Swainston 1986). The international game fishing record is a 61.5 kg fish caught in Western Australia. Shaffer & Nakamura (1989) discussed the biology of the species.

General References

Gray, K.N., McDowell, J.R., Collette, B.B. & Graves, J.E. 2009. A molecular phylogeny of the remoras and their relatives. Bulletin of Marine Science 84(2): 183-198

Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. 2006. 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. [1144]

Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp.

Johnson, G.D. 1984. Percoidei: development and relationships. pp. 464-498 figs 254-264 in Moser, H.G. et al. (eds). Ontogeny and Systematics of Fishes. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Special Publication 1: 1-760

O'Toole, B. 2002. Phylogeny of the species of the superfamily Echeneoidea (Perciformes: Carangoidei: Echeneidae, Rachycentridae, and Coryphaenidae), with an interpretation of echeneid hitchhiking behaviour. Canadian Journal of Zoology 80(4): 596-623

Shaffer, R.V. & Nakamura, E.L. 1989. Synopsis of biological data on the cobia Rachycentron canadum (Pisces: Rachycentridae). NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 82. 21 pp.

Smith, M.M. 1986. Family No. 212: Rachycentridae. pp. 661-662, 1 fig. in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls.

Common Name References

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. (Cobia)

History of changes

• Rachycentron Kaup, J.J. 1826. Beiträge zur Amphibiologie und Ichthyologie. Isis von Oken, Jena 19: 87-90 [89].

  Type species:

   Rachycentron typus Kaup, 1826 by original designation (by use of typus, also monotypic; = Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766)).

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Atlantic-Indo-west Pacific.

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Cape Province (20), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Other Regions

Coral Sea Islands Territory

History of changes

• Gasterosteus canadus Linnaeus, C. 1766. Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Holmiae [=Stockholm] : Laurentii Salvii, Tomus I. Regnum Animale(1) Editio duodecima, reformata [3 vols., 1766-68], 532 pp. [491].

  Type data:

   Holotype LS 85, Carolina, USA.
• Rachycentron typus Kaup, J.J. 1826. Beiträge zur Amphibiologie und Ichthyologie. Isis von Oken, Jena 19: 87-90 [89] [unnecessary replacement name for Gasterosteus canadus Linnaeus 1766].
• Elacate pondiceriana Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1832. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 8 509 pp. pls 209-245. [329].

  Type data:

   Holotype MNHP A.0806, Pondicherry, India.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Shaffer, R.V. & Nakamura, E.L. 1989. Synopsis of biological data on the cobia Rachycentron canadum (Pisces: Rachycentridae). NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 82. 21 pp. [1]

Generic Combinations

• Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766). —
  Shaffer, R.V. & Nakamura, E.L. 1989. Synopsis of biological data on the cobia Rachycentron canadum (Pisces: Rachycentridae). NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 82. 21 pp. [1]
• Rachycentron pondicerianum (Cuvier, 1832). —
  McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part II. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 145–329 [180]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Cape Naturaliste, WA (31º32´S) to Westernport, VIC (38º19'S, 145º14'E) and east coast of Tasmania; tropical, Atlantic Indo-west Pacific.

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Cape Province (20), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Other Regions

Coral Sea Islands Territory

Ecological Descriptors

Continental shelf, marine, pelagic.

General References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. [118]

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls. [76]

Collette, B.B. 1999. Family Rachycentridae. 2655 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.

Gomon, M.F. 2008. Families Rachycentridae and Echeneidae. pp. 571-575 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [571-572]

McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part II. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 145–329 [180] (as Rachycentron pondicerianum)

Pepperell, J. 2010. Fishes of the Open Ocean a Natural History & Illustrated Guide. Sydney : University of New South Wales Press Ltd 266 pp. [159]

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. [511]

Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [43] (996, as Rachycentron pondicerianttm)

Common Name References

Allan, R. 2002. Australian Fish and How to Catch Them. Sydney : New Holland Publishers (Australia) 394 pp. [112] (Crab Eater)

Collette, B.B. 1999. Family Coryphaenidae. pp. 2656-2658 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. (Cobia)

Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs. [171] (Sergeant-Fish)

Marshall, T.C. 1964. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coastal Waters of Queensland. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 566 pp. 136 pls. [171] (Crab-eater)

Prokop, F. 2002. Australian Fish Guide. Croydon South, Victoria : Australian Fishing Network 256 pp. [216] (Black King, Cobe, Lemon Fish)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Cobia)

Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (eds) 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 460 pp. [258] (Cobia, Black Kingfish, Crabeater)

History of changes