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Old Wife photographed at the Underwater World aquarium, Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Image by ozwildlife - Some rights reserved.
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OLD WIFE FACTS |
Description
The Old Wife is a fish found around coastal reefs. It has a deep body, and two separate sickle shaped dorsal fins. The body is silver-white to brown with six to eight black bands. Juveniles have a blotched colour pattern and a white-rimmed spot on the dorsal fin. The Old Wife gets its name from the sound it makes by grinding its teeth after it is caught.
Size
grows to 25 cm.
Habitat
Adults are common on coastal reefs, and may be seen individuals, in pairs, or large schools. Juveniles live in estuaries.
Food
crustaceans and worms
Range
The Old Wife is only found in Australian waters from southern Queensland around the bottom half of Australia to south west Western Australia.
Notes
The dorsal fin spines of the Old Wife contain a venom which can cause severe pain, so handle this fish with care.
Classification
| Class: | Actinopterygii | | Order: | Perciformes | | Family: | Enoplosidae | | Genus: | Enoplosus | | Species: | armatus | | Common Name: | Old Wife |
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