New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Tropical

Rusty jobfish

Aphareus rutilans Cuvier, 1830
Max Length
110 cm
Max Weight
11.3 kg
Lifespan
16 yrs
Trophic Level
4.1
Depth
100–330 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
53.00/100
Typical Length
79 cm
Depth Zone
reef

📖 Overview

Adults inhabit reefs and rocky bottom areas to depths of at least 100 m . Found in pelagic and benthopelagic waters . They feed on fishes, squids and crustaceans . Marketed fresh .

Scientific Name
Aphareus rutilans
Authority
Cuvier, 1830
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
110 cm
Max Weight
11.3 kg
Lifespan
16 years
Depth Range
100–330 m
Latitude
35°S – 35°N
Trophic Level
4.1
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
53.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body elongate and laterally compressed; lower jaw protruding; premaxillae not protrusible, fixed by a frenum; teeth in jaws are extremely small, minute in large adults; roof of mouth toothless; maxilla without scales or longitudinal ridges; interorbital region flattened; gill openings extending far anterior to orbit; gill rakers on first gill arch 16 - 19 + 32-35 = 49-52; last soft ray of both dorsal and anal fins well produced, longer than next to last ray; caudal fin forked; D X,11 (occasionally 10); membranes of dorsal and anal fins without scales; tubed lateral-line scales 69-75. Colour of body blue-grey or mauve to overall reddish; margin of maxilla black; in some specimens, at least, inside of mouth, gill chamber, and gills shining silver; fins yellowish to reddish except pelvic and anal fins sometimes whitish .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Rusty jobfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

small fish
crustaceans
cephalopods

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 100 - 330 m . Tropical; 35°N - 35°S, 24°E - 150°W East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to Australia.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🪸 Reef Associated
Trophic Level
4.1±0.57
Food Items

fishes, squids and crustaceans (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.01549 × L2.93 (TL)
Max TL
110cm
Max Weight
11,300g
Dorsal Spines
10
Dorsal Rays
11
Anal Spines
3
Anal Rays
8

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2015

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
53.00/100
Moderate-High vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.1
Apex / Top predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
35°N – 35°S
Described By
Cuvier, 1830

🎣 Angling Guide

Difficulty
Beginner
Fight Rating
strong pulls with head-shakes
Best Seasons
spring,summer,fall
Best Time
incoming tide, dawn and dusk
Line Weight
15-30
Rod Type
medium-heavy spinning
Hook Size
2/0-5/0
Catch & Release
✓ Recommended
Best Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Techniques
bottom fishing popping cork soft plastics live bait
Bait & Lures
live shrimp cut mullet soft plastic paddle-tails popping corks
Recommended Tackle
  • medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
  • 30-50 lb braid
  • fluorocarbon leader
Where to Find Them
  • grass flats
  • oyster bars
  • marsh drains
  • deeper channel edges
Tips & Tricks
Popping cork technique attracts fish from distance. Fish moving tides.
Catch & Release Tips

Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.

Regulations Summary

⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Rusty jobfish is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

⚡ Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Protein 19 g
Omega-3 (total) 147 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Rusty jobfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact
✓ Sustainable Choice

🔬 Full Nutritional Profile

Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (lean white fish average)

Proximate Composition
Energy90 kcal
Moisture80 %
Protein18 %
Total Fat1.2 %
Ash1.2 %
Fatty Acids (g)
Saturated Fat0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat0.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat0.4 g
Omega-3 Total0.3 g
EPA0.08 g
DHA0.15 g
Omega-6 Total0.05 g
Key Minerals & Vitamins
Calcium18 mg
Iron0.4 mg
Magnesium30 mg
Phosphorus200 mg
Potassium380 mg
Sodium60 mg
Zinc0.4 mg
Selenium30 µg
Vitamin B60.3 mg
Vitamin B121 µg

📊 Population Dynamics

Year Region Index Notes
- - -

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Ironjaw · Ironjaw Snapper · Jobfish · Lehi · Red Smalltooth Job · Reddish Snapper Fish · Rusty jobfish · rusty smalltooth jobfish · Silvermouth · Small Tooth Jobfish · Small-toothed Job-fish · Small-toothed Jobfish · smalltoothed jobfish
🌍CES chňapal načervenalý
🇫🇷French Vivaneau lantanier · Vivaneau rouille · Vivaneau rouillé, Vivaneau rouille
🇯🇵Japanese Oguchiishichibiki · オオグチイシチビキ
🌍MSA Kerisi bali
🇵🇹Portuguese Caranha-ferrugem
🇷🇺Russian Малозубый афарей
🇪🇸Spanish pargo bermellón · Pargo de dientes pequeños
🌍TGL Bisugo
🇨🇳Chinese 小齒紅鯛 · 紅叉尾鯛 · 红叉尾鲷 · 銹色細齒笛鯛

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Aphareus rutlans Cuvier 1830 Synonym
Aphareus thompsoni Fowler 1923 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 3 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Rusty jobfish ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.