Thornfish

The thornfish, or jarbua terapon, is a compact, silvery fish marked with three or four bold, downward-curving dark bands and a spotted tail, plus a strong, sharp spine on the gill cover that gives it its name. It thrives in a wide range of shallow habitats, from surf zones and rocky pools to estuaries and even brackish water, all along the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape coast.

Thornfish are hardy, aggressive little predators that feed on small fish, insects, worms and scales nipped from other fish, and juveniles are a familiar sight in tidal pools. Handle them carefully, as the stiff gill-cover and fin spines can prick a careless hand. They are frequently caught by shore anglers and used as bait rather than eaten.