The New Zealand rockfish (Acanthoclinus littoreus) is a roundhead of the genus Acanthoclinus, found only in New Zealand from shallow depths to 15 metres. Their length is between 5 and 15 centimetres.

The New Zealand rockfish is a common small elongate fish that lives mainly in narrow gaps under rocks or in small caves in shallow water or rock pools. The strong dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins have fleshy tips on the rays which braces the fish against the top and bottom of their shelter, and prevents them from being dislodged by wave action and giving protection from predators. Both the pectoral and tail fins are rounded and fan-like and there are 3 parallel lateral lines running along the body. At the tip of the blunt head is a fleshy-lipped mouth bearing many bands of small teeth designed for grasping the small fishes and crustaceans Rockfish normally feed on.

They are dark grey or black, often mottled with green-brown, with a prominent white stripe running from the tip of the snout to the beginning of the dorsal fin, and white tips to the fin rays.

Females lay their eggs in nests prepared by the male who guards them until they hatch.

References

• Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8

Plesiopidae | New Zealand endemic marine fish