About Odax pullus (Forster, 1801)
Odax pullus, commonly called greenbone fish, are protogynous hermaphrodites: they start life as females, and a portion of individuals change to males later in life. Young greenbone fish are golden-yellow when newly hatched, and dark green-blue as they grow into juveniles. Most adults are brown-yellow in colour. This species grows up to 40 centimetres (16 in) in standard length, and has been recorded weighing up to 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb). When individuals reach 40 centimetres (16 in), roughly half develop into males, which have a bright-blue colouration. This species is common in New Zealand coastal waters, especially around the South Island. Its natural range covers the Chatham Islands, Antipodes Islands, and Bounty Islands. It is not found around the Three Kings Islands, where it is replaced by the endemic bluefinned butterfish Odax cyanoallix. Greenbone fish live in shallow rocky areas with growing brown algae, primarily the genus Carpophyllum.
