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Australian pineapplefish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) — Monocentridae

Australian pineapplefish

Cleidopus gloriamaris
Family: Monocentridae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Australian pineapplefish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) is a saltwater fish of the family Monocentridae that grows up to 22 cm.

Length
22 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
6.0–200.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Southern Australia
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The Australian pineapplefish is a remarkable reef fish from the waters around southern Australia. The species grows to about 22 cm and has a stocky, golden-yellow body armoured with large, black-edged bony scale plates, like a pineapple. On the lower jaw it bears a pair of light organs, lit by luminous bacteria, with which it lures small shrimp at night. By day it shelters in caves and under ledges. The fish is harmless to humans and has no commercial value. The IUCN has not evaluated the species.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Australian pineapplefish?

The Australian pineapplefish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a spots pattern. Pineapple-like armour and luminous chin organs with bacteria; nocturnal

Where does the Australian pineapplefish live?

The Australian pineapplefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Southern Australia

How big does the Australian pineapplefish get?

The Australian pineapplefish grows to a maximum of about 22 cm.

Is the Australian pineapplefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Australian pineapplefish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Australian pineapplefish edible?

The Australian pineapplefish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Australian pineapplefish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) — Monocentridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) David Thatcher, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Australian pineapplefish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) — Monocentridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) kemptonmk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Australian pineapplefish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) — Monocentridae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Cleidopus_gloriamaris.jpg: Richard Ling, https://www.flickr.com/people/rling/ derivative work: Mfield (talk) (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Australian pineapplefish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) — Monocentridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) joseph_dibattista, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
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All data

Identification

English name
Australian pineapplefish verified
Scientific name
Cleidopus gloriamaris
Family
Monocentridae
Other names
Coat-of-mail fish; Knight fish; Knightfish; Luminescent pineconefish; Pineapplefish; Pineapple fish; Port and starboard light fish; Mailfish; Pinecone fish; Pineconefish; Port and starboard bightfish; West Australian knight fish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
22.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
6.0 verified
Max depth (m)
200.0 verified
Natural range
Southern Australia verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small shrimps and crustaceans inferred
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Luminescent cave-dwelling pineapplefish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Pineapple-like armour and luminous chin organs with bacteria; nocturnal sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Monocentridae

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