Red moki
(Chirodactylus spectabilis)

The red moki is a distinctively marked fish which has a body with an overall silvery to light brown colour with a white on the underside of the head and body. There are 7-8 uniformly spaced, wide, rufous to nearly black bands along the flanks, the first 3 or 4 are angled towards the head, the remaining bands are vertical.

The fins have blackish margins, with reddish bases.

Rare individuals are plain reddish brown without any banding or with the band being indistinct.

The mouth has thick, fleshy lips.

The lower pectoral fin rays are relatively short compared to other morwongs.

The maximum total length recorded for this species is 100 cm (39 in).

The red moki is restricted to the southwestern Pacific Ocean in Australia and New Zealand.

In Australia, where it is more commonly known as the banded morwong, it occurs from Seal Rocks, New South Wales, to Kangaroo Island in South Australia, it is also found around Tasmania and the islands of the Bass Strait. It may occurs as far west in South Australia as the Point Drummond on the western coast of the Eyre Peninsula.

In New Zealand it is found from the Three Kings Islands to Foveaux Strait.

It reaches its maximum abundance around Tasmania and off the northern part of New Zealands North Island.

This species is found around coastal reefs in shallow waters, especially in areas which are exposed to wave surges, for example reefs lying off exposed rocky headlands. They can be common where there is kelp and other seaweeds and close to caves, crevices and overhangs. The adults inhabit deeper waters than the juveniles.

They can be found at depths between 1 and 50 m (3 ft 3 in and 164 ft 1 in).