Maccullochella macquariensis, is not a cod, nor even a marine fish. If one looks for a reason why early settlers in Australia mistook it for a cod, one can only suppose that they were influenced by the mottling on its sides.
This is a large fish, up to 1.8 m (6′) in length and possibly 90 kg (200 lb) in weight. It is widely distributed in the continent, not just in the Murray River system from which it takes its name. Generally good to eat when small, but less appreciated now than in the past. Large specimens tend to be coarse and fatty.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
