South Australian cobbler - Definition

The South Australian cobbler Gymnapistes marmoratus (Cuvier 1829), often just called "cobbler" in Australia, is a brown coloured fish that lives in estuaries in southern Australia, both on the eastern (New South Wales) and western (Western Australia - near Perth) coasts. Its dorsal fin's spines are poisonous.

This species lies motionless through the day, becoming active at night, when the smaller ones eat shrimp and crabs, while the larger cobblers eat other fish. They spawn in August and September.

The submarine USS Cobbler (SS-344) was named after the fish.

Another cobbler is an unrelated species of catfish, also found in Australia. Some species of Trachinotus are also called "cobblers" in the Caribbean.

External link

• FishBase entry for Gymnapistes marmoratus (http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Gymnapistes&speciesname=marmoratus)
• Australian Museum article on the cobbler (http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/gmarmoratus.htm)