Animal Species:Spangled Tubeshoulder, Persparsia kopua (Phillipps, 1942)

The tubeshoulders have a shoulder sac which produces a luminous fluid. It has been suggested that this fluid could be ejected to distract an attacking predator in the same way cephalopods squirt ink.

Spangled Tubeshoulder, Persparsia kopua

Spangled Tubeshoulder, Persparsia kopua
Kerryn Parkinson © NORFANZ Founding Parties

Identification

The Spangled Tubeshoulder has an elongate, compressed body. It has short snout, large eyes and single rows of fine needle-like teeth in both jaws. The body is covered with small cycloid scales. The body is violet-black, the head often paler. The photophores on the lower sides of the head and body are white.

Size range

The species grows to about 14 cm in length.

Distribution

The species is found worldwide, except off South America. In Australia it is known from off the central coast of New South Wales to off Tasmania.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Persparsia kopua

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Spangled Tubeshoulder specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is a mesopelagic species that occurs in southern temperate waters.

Other behaviours and adaptations

The tubeshoulders have a shoulder sac which produces a luminous fluid. It has been suggested that this fluid could be ejected to distract an attacking predator in the same way cephalopods squirt ink.

Classification

Species:
kopua
Genus:
Persparsia
Family:
Platytroctidae
Order:
Argentiniformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Matsui, T. & Rosenblatt, R.H. 1987. Review of the deep-sea fish family Platytroctidae (Pisces: Salmoniformes). Bulletin of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. 26: 1–159.

 


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Spangled Tubeshoulder, Persparsia kopua, Platytroctidae, NORFANZ, shoulder sac, luminous fluid, elongate, short snout, large eyes, needle-like teeth, violet-black, cycloid scales, 10 cm - 30 cm, mesopelagic, marine, temperate waters,