Glaucosoma hebraicum Richardson, 1845
West Australian dhufish
Glaucosoma hebraicum
photo by Good, P.

Family:  Glaucosomatidae (Pearl perches)
Max. size:  122 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 26 kg
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 200 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: endemic to Australian waters. Distributed from the Recherche Archipelago off Esperance, to Beagle Island, although they are rare north of Shark Bay. Records from Japan (Ref. 559, 12517) and Taiwan (Ref. 5193) are Glaucosoma buergeri (Ref. 27621).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-11; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 9-9. One dark vertical band through eye which may disappear with an increase in size; 11 dorsal fin rays and 9 anal fin rays. Supraclavicle not developed into a bony shield. Peritoneum and gill rakers pale; lateral line with 44 to 48 pored scales; juveniles with wide dark horizontal bands wider than interspaces.
Biology:  Westralian jewfish live in shallow inshore waters and depths to over 200 m (Ref. 27560). They are present over hard, flat sea beds (e.g. limestone shelf) and in reefs, wrecks and underwater caverns and gutters. Adult fish move into shallower waters in the cooler months between April and June (Ref. 27560, 27561). Juveniles tend to remain in shallower water than adults and are rarely found in waters more than 100 m deep (Ref. 27560). Adults feed mainly on fish, also rock lobsters, crabs, squid, octopus and cuttlefish. Marketed as fresh fish (Ref. 10384).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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