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Sergeant Baker
Hime purpurissatus Richardson, 1843
A Sergeant Baker at a depth of 5 m, Fairy Bower, Manly, New South Wales, November 2006. Photo © R. Ling. View larger image.
A female Sergeant Baker at a depth of 18m, at Shark Point, New South Wales.
A male Sergeant Baker at a depth of 18m, at Shark Point, New South Wales.
A female Sergeant Baker at Shark Point, New South Wales. View larger image.
A female Sergeant Baker at a depth of 15m, Fly Point, New South Wales. View larger image.
The Sergeant Baker can be recognised by its long tapering body, blotched colouration and its behaviour. The species is commonly observed by divers as it perches on the substrate with its head raised.
Adult males and females are easy to tell apart. Several of the anterior rays of the first dorsal fin are greatly elongated in males, nearly reaching the adipose fin. The elongated dorsal fin rays can be seen in the middle image.
It grows to about 68 cm in length.
This species is endemic to Australia. It is recorded from temperate waters from the central Western Australian coast to southern Queensland.
Dietary items include molluscs, fishes and crustaceans. It is reported to be a poor to fair table fish.
The Sergeant Baker is probably named after Governor Phillip's orderly sergeant, William Baker. Sergeant Baker came to Australia as a Corporal of Marines on the transport ship Charlotte. He was reported to have been a keen fisherman, and possibly the first white settler to have caught this species.
Related links
- Sergeant Baker larval description
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Glover, C.J.M. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
