© Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia Full citation Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia: Volume 1 - Bony and Cartilaginous Fishes. Report for the South Australian Working Group for Marine Species of Conservation Concern. J. Baker (consultant); Science and Conservation Division, and Coast and Marine Conservation branches of S.A. Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH); Marine and Coastal Community Network of S.A. (MCCN), and Threatened Species Network (TSN). Web version published by Reef Watch, South Australia.

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Beardie / Largetooth Beardie

Family Name:	Moridae
Scientific Name:	Lotella rhacina (Forster, in Bloch and Schneider, 1801)
Recommended Status in S.A:	Data Deficient
Rationale:  Although Lotella rhacina has a broad geographic range across southern Australia, it is included here because (i) it is a strongly site-associated reef fish from inner and mid continental shelf waters; (ii) its distribution and relative abundance in South Australia are poorly known (likely due to its cryptic nature); (iii) commercial and recreational catches are poorly quantified, and although catches in most fisheries might be low (due to the habits and habitat of this species), it is attracted to rock lobster pots, and capture in pots may be the most significant source of mortality in some areas; (iv) there is little information on the biology (particularly longevity, and reproduction), and population dynamics of this species.

Page Contents

Current Conservation Status

No listings known

Distribution

General

Largetooth Beardie is found across southern Australia, northern and southern New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands, and Lord Howe I. (Paxton et al., 1989; Paulin et al., 1989; Francis, 1993; Roberts et al., 2005).  Queen Charlotte Sound in N.Z. is the type locality (Eschmeyer, 2004).

Southern Australia

In southern Australia, Largetooth Beardie ranges from northern-most New South Wales, through to the mid west coast of W.A., and Tasmania is part of the distribution (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986; Kuiter, 1993, 1996a; Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007).

South Australia

There are few published records from South Australia, possibly due to the habits and habitat of the species. Examples of locations in S.A. where the species has been recorded include the eastern Great Australian Bight / western Eyre Peninsula; Jussieu Peninsula / south-western Spencer Gulf; southern Kangaroo Island; Fleurieu Peninsula (e.g. Rapid Bay), and south-eastern South Australia (i.e. various locations between Kingston and the Victorian border) (Glover, 1979; Prescott and Xiao, 2001; Australian Underwater Federation Inc., 2003; Brock et al., 2004; South Australian Museum records, Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007; D. Muirhead, MLSSA, pers. comm., 2008).

Habitat

The Largetooth Beardie is found in caves and crevices, and under ledges, on exposed reefs, in rocky estuaries and bays, and also offshore (Kuiter, 1993, 1996a; Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994; Edgar, 2000; Australian Museum, 2005n).
In south-western Australia, the L. rhacina has been recorded as frequent on reefs at the Recherche Archipelago, and also occasionally on reefs in mainland bays, and other locations in the region (Hutchins, 2005).
The reported depth range is 2m – 90m (Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994; Edgar, 2000).

Notes on the Biology

Growth

L. rhacina grows to about 66cm (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986; Edgar, 2000), but specimens of this large size are rarely seen.
The maximum size recorded is 3.175kg (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986).

Diet and Feeding Behaviour

Generally, Morid fishes eat small fish, crustaceans and cephalopods (Kuiter, 1996a). Coleman and Mobley (1984, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2006) recorded finfish in the diet of L. rhacina.
The species emerges from cover at night, to feed (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986). Beardies may move into shallower water (e.g. less than 10m) at night when feeding (Edgar, 2000).

Reproduction

No information on reproduction in L. rhacina could be found for this report, but it is noted that age at maturity, season of spawning, fecundity and other aspects of reproduction have been investigated in the related species Pseudophycis bachus (see synopsis).

Fisheries Information

Commercial

L. rhacina is a commercial species in southern Australia, and the marketing name is “Southern Rock Cod” (Seafood Services Australia, 2005).
L. rhacina is a very minor bycatch species in the Danish seine sub-fishery of the South East Trawl Fishery (Wayte et al., 2004).
L. rhacina is a minor component of the bycatch in the shelf sector of the N.S.W. Ocean Prawn Trawl Fishery, with a frequency of occurrence of 0.6% in all trawl shots, according to a fishery independent survey (New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, 2004).
There are also commercial fishing records of L. rhacina from the Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait region (Anonymous, 2002b).
L. rhacina is a bycatch species in the South Australian Rock Lobster Fishery. Bycatch sampling in 1991 – 92 showed that in the Northern Zone of the fishery, only 4 specimens in the Moridae family (Lotella and/or Pseudophycis) were caught in 4 pots (in a sample of 32, 028 pots); and in the Southern Zone of the fishery, at least 64 Morid fish were caught in 54 pots (in a sample of 21,108 pots) (Prescott and Xiao, 2001). More recently, in 2002/03, during bycatch sampling of 1% of the annual number of pot lifts, 19 specimens were recorded in the Northern Zone, and 9 were recorded in the Southern Zone (Brock et al., 2004). Assuming that the 1% sample was representative, the maximum annual catch of Largetooth Beardie in the Northern Zone was therefore estimated to be in the order of 1900 specimens in the Northern Zone (Brock et al., 2004) and 900 in the Southern Zone. It is not known what proportion of the bycatch may be Pseudophycis breviuscula, P. barbata, or P. bachus (see synopses), rather than L. rhacina

Recreational

The species is occasionally taken in shallower waters on hook and line (Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994), but is generally considered to be of low quality as an eating fish.
Morid cods are taken by recreational fishers in Tasmania (Smith and Heran, 2001), but the proportion of the catch that comprises L. rhacina is not known for this report.
The species is taken by spear fishers. One of the record-sized specimens of Beardie (2.495kg) was taken by spear fishing, at Fishery Bay in S.A., in 1966 (Australian Underwater Federation Inc., 2003).  Beardie was one of the species targeted in national and State spearfishing competitions held in S.A. during the 1980s, with specimens over 0.5kg eligible for “weighing-in”, during the national contest (e.g. Johnson, 1985b) and over 0.25kg in the S.A. contests (Johnson, 1985a). More recently, Beardie (specimens over 0.4kg) was listed as a target in the 54th Australian Spearfishing Titles 2006, held on northern Kangaroo Island (Australian Underwater Federation, 2006).

Vulnerable Characteristics of the Species

The Beardie is strongly site associated with reefs, in the inner and mid continental shelf waters, and thus may be vulnerable to site-specific impacts in some areas, and also to by-capture in various fishing gear. In particular, individuals may be attracted to rock lobster pots, which may be one of the main sources of mortality.

Threatening Processes

Fishing is likely to be the main threatening process. To date, there appears to have been no assessment of the effects of fishing on this species. L. rhacina has been recorded in low numbers in several Commonwealth-managed and State-managed fisheries (see above). Given the habits and habitat of this species, bycatch in rock lobster pots may be the most significant source of mortality.

Research Requirements

The distribution and relative abundance in some parts of the range (including South Australia) are poorly known (likely due to the cryptic nature of this species).
There is a lack of data on the biology (including longevity and reproduction), and population dynamics of L. rhacina.
Commercial and recreational catches should be quantified.

Management Requirements

Commercial catch statistics of Morid cods should be separated to species level.
Measures should be encouraged to reduce the capture of site-associated reef fishes such as Lotella rhacina in rock lobster pots.
Recreational fishing regulations are recommended. There are currently no restrictions on the take of Morid cods in South Australia, and although these fishes are not considered good eating, Morid cods are sought and caught by some fishers (e.g. spear fishers).

Other Information

The species is found in a number of protected areas in New Zealand, such as Goat Island (Russell, 1977); Victoria, such as Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park (Edmunds et al., 2003), and Tasmania (such as Maria Island) (Parks and Wildlife Service, 1998).