Magpie perch

Species of fish

The magpie perch (Cheilodactylus (Pseudogoniistius) nigripes), magpie morwong or black striped morwong, is a species of marine ray finned fish, traditionally regarded as belonging to the family Cheilodactylidae, the members of which are commonly known as morwongs. It is found off southern Australia and northern New Zealand from shallow depths to .

The magpie perch was first formally described in 1850 by the Scottish naval surgeon, arctic explorer and naturalist Sir John Richardson with the type locality given as King George Sound in Western Australia. The specific name nigripes means “black foot”, referring to the colour of the ventral fins on a dried specimen. Although traditionally included in the genus Cheilodactylus in family Cheilodactylidae, genetic and morphological analyses strongly suggest that it belongs in its own genus, called Pseudogoniistius, which is placed in the family Latridae. The magpie perch attains a maximum total length of .

The magpie perch is found in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia is can be found from Albany, Western Australia along the southern coast and northwards on the eastern coast as far as Sydney, it can also be found off the islands in the Bass Strait and northern Tasmania. The epipelagic larvae and small juveniles drift with the currents from Australia across the Tasman Sea accounting for the infrequent records from northern and eastern New Zealand.

The magpie perch feeds on benthic invertebrates which it draws through its mouth by sucking them up from the sediment and from algal turfs. They often use caves and overhangs to shelter in, frequently as small groups.