Larval basslet, Liopropoma sp
Click to enlarge image
© Barry Hutchins
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Liopropoma
- Species
- sp
- Family
- Serranidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- Basslets generally grow to less than 10 cm in length.
Introduction
About Liopropoma
Fishes in the genus Liopropoma are generally very secretive, living in caves or crevices in coral reefs. They are generally small fishes that grow to less than 10 cm in length. Three species of Liopropoma occur in Australian waters. These are the Headband Perch, L. mitratum, Yellow Reef Basslet, L. multilineatum and Pinstripe Reef Basslet, L. susumi.
Identification
What do Liopropoma look like?
Larval Liopropoma have extremely long ornate second and third dorsal fin spines. These spines have balloon-like structures which are held above the fish.
Three species of Liopropoma occur in Australian waters. These are the Headband Perch, L. mitratum, Yellow Reef Basslet, L. multilineatum and Pinstripe Reef Basslet, L. susumi.
Habitat
Where do Liopropoma live?
Fishes in the genus Liopropoma are generally very secretive, living in caves or crevices in coral reefs.
Distribution
Where are Liopropoma found?
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.
Biology
Other behaviours and adaptations
Why the fish has ornate dorsal fin spines is not certain. The Smithsonian’s ‘Expedition to Galapagos’ website states that “We don’t know the precise function of these structures, but they look very much like a type of colonial jellyfish known as a siphonophore. Perhaps they look enough like them to deter certain potential predators.” Baldwin et al (1991) state that “The elongate filaments could play a role in energy storage by providing space for the assimilation of excess food; however, long, trailing filaments seem an unlikely place for energy storage because they probably are quite vulnerable to predation. In fact, pigmented swellings or other variations in the shape of the filaments could attract predators, distracting them from the body of the larva. The elongate filaments also might function in predator deception by increasing the apparent size of the lava.”
References
- Baldwin , C. C, Johnson, G. D. and P. L. Colin. 1991. Larvae of Diploprion bifasciatum, Belonoperca chabanaudi and Grammistes sexlineatus (Serranidae: Epinephelinae) with a comparison of known larvae of other epinephelines. Bulletin of Marine Science 48: 67-93.
- Leis, J.M. and B.M. Carson-Ewart. (editors). 2000. The larvae of Indo-Pacific coastal fishes. An identification guide to marine fish larvae. (Fauna Malesiana Handbooks 2). E.J. Brill, Leiden. Pp. 850.
