Purple Rockcod

Epinephelus cyanopodus has a compressed body which has a standard length which is 2.4 to 2.7 times its depth with a steep dorsal profile to the head and a noticeably convex area between the eyes. The preopercle does not have a sharp angle and its edge has fine serrations which are slightly enlarged at the angle. The gill cover has inconspicuous spines and a straight upper edge. The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 16-17 spines while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. The spiny part of the dorsal fin has the membrane between the spines either not incised or having slight incisions. There are 63-75 scales in the lateral line. This species is overall greyish in colour and is covered in irregular small dark dots with fewer larger black spots. The juveniles are yellowish but as they mature, they become more greyish-blue until when they reach a length of 15–20 centimetres (5.9–7.9 in) only the fins are yellowish. The yellow fins will fade with age. This species attains a total length of 122 centimetres (48 in) and a maximum weight of 17.3 kilograms (38 lb).

Epinephelus cyanopodus is found in the Western Pacific Ocean from the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand east to the Marshall Islands and Fiji, north to southern Japan and south to eastern Australia and the Tasman Sea. In Australia it is found along the Great Barrier Reef and from northern Queensland to Sydney.