General Description

Body elongate, compressed, adults with two pairs of curved spines on each side of tail base. First dorsal-fin spine tall with serrated edges. Greenish to bluish-green with a black horse-shoe mark surrounded by yellow on midsides, and blue lines along dorsal and anal fin bases. Usually 30 cm long head to tail tip (up to 60 cm).

Biology

Easily recognised by the large horse-shoe marking on each side; small juveniles have an elongate bluish-grey marking surrounded by yellow. Common on coastal and deeper estuarine rocky reefs in southern Australia, especially in the southwest. Juveniles often shelter around jetties and piers; adults may occur in large schools in areas with abundant kelp on offshore coastal reefs and in deeper rocky estuaries.

Distribution

Southern Australia.

Habitat

Rocky reefs in shallow coastal waters and bays.

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