| Kyphosidae (Sea chubs) |
| 75 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 1,850.0 g |
|
reef-associated; marine; depth range - 2 m, oceanodromous |
| Indo-Pacific: Antitropical; Red Sea, South Africa, western and eastern Australia, Lord Howe and Rapa islands, southern Japan and Ryukyu Islands. Records for countries in the tropical zone needs further confirmation. |
|
Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 10-12; Vertebrae: 16-16. This species is distinguished by the following characters: terminal mouth is almost in an oblique angle; presence of scales in the interorbital region; D XI,11-12 rays; A III,10-12; gill rakers externally on first arch 4-7 + 13-17; pectoral fin is relatively short, 13.6-21.3 %SL); anal-fin base relatively long (18.1-24.8 %SL; lateral line scales 61-76, with pores 51-60; longitudinal scales 54-67; cheek scales 9-16; vertebrae 10 + 16; low number of pterygiophores, dorsal 20-21 and anal 12. Colour of body variable brownish to silvery with dusky unpaired fins when fresh; soft parts of the dorsal and anal fins appear dusky and have black or darker edges; dark edges on dorsal, anal and caudal fins appear pronounced in more adult individuals, but may also vary from habitat to habitat; cheek and area below eye usually with a white or silvery streak (Ref. 95491). |
| Found around exposed seaward reefs of isolated high islands such as the northernmost Mariana and Bonin Is. Feeds on Sargassum and Turbinaria algae. Valued as a food fish, but not in Hawaii (Ref. 3921). |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 July 2014 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
|
Known from mainland New Zealand, Great Barrier Island (Ahuriri Pt. and Aiguilles Is.), Poor Knights Island (Bartle's Bay), Mohokinau Island (Navire Rock and Lighthouse Cove) (Ref. 35942), the Kermadec Is. (Ref. 8879) and Norfolk Island (Ref. 45524). Voucher specimen(s) held at the NMNZ. |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
