Grey Morwong

The porae has a body which is compressed and moderately short and deep, its depth being around two fifths of its standard length, with a very thin caudal peduncle. It has a moderately sized head which has a shallow dorsal profile and there is a small over the eyes in adults. There are no bony protuberances on the snout or to the front of the moderately sized eyes. It has a small mouth, which does not extend as far as the eyes, with thick and fleshy lips. The teeth are small and pointed and arranged in a single row in each jaw and they are embedded in the lips. There is a patch of smaller teeth to the rear of the main row in the front of the upper jaw. The dorsal fin is continuous, with a long base and only slight demarcation between the spiny part and the soft rayed part which are both of similar length. The spiny part is tallest at the front and decreases in height to the rear while the soft rayed part is of a uniform low height. The anal fin is similar in shape but slightly shorter than soft rayed part of the dorsal fin. The caudal fin is forked with the tips of both lobes bluntly pointed. The pectoral fins are of moderate size with its upper rays branched and its lower rays simple and robust with uppermost of these rays being highly elongated, extending almost to the middle of the anal fin. …

The porae is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean in eastern Australia and New Zealand. In Australia it occurs from Moreton Bay, Queensland, in the north to Wilsons Promontory, Victoria and off eastern Tasmania. In New Zealand it is found around the Kermadec Islands and on the North Island from Three Kings Islands to Kaikōura. It is found at depths down to 200 m (660 ft) over reefs or over sandy areas in the vicinity of reefs. The juveniles are found in shallower waters than the adults.