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Australian Wildlife

  Old Wife (Enoplosus armatus)





Old Wife | Enoplosus armatus photo
Old Wife photographed at the Underwater World aquarium, Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Image by ozwildlife - Some rights reserved.







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