Lutjanus goldiei

Lore & Background

Lutjanus goldiei was first formally described in 1882 as Mesoprion goldiei by the Scots-born Australian naturalist William John Macleay, with the type locality given as Hood Bay in Papua New Guinea. The specific name honors the Scots-born merchant, naturalist, and New Guinea explorer Andrew Goldie, who provided Macleay with specimens and notes. The species has a relatively deep body, a steeply sloped forehead, and a truncate caudal fin. It comes in two color phases: one entirely blackish, and the other with 6-7 wide greyish bars on the flanks; juveniles are always barred. It attains a maximum total length of 100 cm and a maximum published weight of 19.2 kg.

Its distribution was thought to be confined to southern New Guinea between Port Moresby and the Fly River, but it has now been found in Sabah on the Malaysian part of Borneo and possibly other islands between New Guinea and Borneo. It inhabits both brackish and fresh waters, recorded in streams and rivers draining into the Gulf of Papua, the Sepik and Ramu river system, and as far inland as 828 km up the Fly River, though typically 200 to 400 km from the sea. It is an opportunistic predator, preying on crabs, snakes, fishes, small crocodiles, and mammals. Juveniles reside further up rivers and in shallower areas for protection, and are also found in mangroves. Larvae may be marine, but there are no records of this species in purely marine environments.

Reader's Guide

Lutjanus goldiei is a popular sporting fish, and a safari-angling economy has grown around its pursuit. Game fishers travel to both New Guinea and Sabah to fish for this species. It occasionally appears in the fish market at Port Moresby. Apart from angling, it is also caught using spears, handlines, traps, and gill nets. The species has not been evaluated by the IUCN. Anglers from across the globe have the Papuan black bass on their fishing bucket list, and there are a few tour operators that target this species specifically. It was featured in the television series River Monsters (episode 'Volcanic Island Terror') and in Extreme Fishing with Robson Green. Its significance lies in its status as a sought-after game fish in remote freshwater and brackish habitats, drawing international anglers and supporting local tourism economies.

Did You Know?

• Lutjanus goldiei was first described in 1882 as Mesoprion goldiei by William John Macleay.
• It has been recorded as far as 828 km inland up the Fly River in Papua New Guinea.