Available wild caught, they are bottom-dwelling marine fish found mainly on the continental slope commonly between 750-1,200m, often over hard bottoms and underwater hills, and caught mainly by trawling south of Bass Strait. They have a rougher, darker skin, larger eyes and more elongated bodies than their relatives the Dories.
Two species are marketed as Black Dory; the most common, A.niger, has a larger pelvic fin and taller dorsal fin than the less common A.verrucosus, which is also called Warty Dory.