Fish
Tomato Rockcod
Cephalopholis sonnerati
A stout deeper-reef grouper that darkens with age, the biggest fish turning almost uniformly dusky reddish, and sporting a distinctly humped nape.
Also known as tamatie- malabar
- Typical size
- Attains 57 cm
- Habitat
- Deeper reef and rocky bottom
- Depth
- 30-100 m
The tomato rockcod reaches about 57 cm and has a prominently convex nape in adults. Small fish are lighter, but specimens over 30 cm grow steadily darker, especially towards the rear, and by 40 cm are usually an even dark, dusky reddish colour.
It occurs across the western Indian Ocean south to Durban and on to the central Pacific. Adults are typically found in deeper water, from about 30 to 100 m.