Alison's Blue Devil, Paraplesiops alisonae

Scientific name: Paraplesiops alisonae
Alison's Blue Devil Click to enlarge image
An Alison's Blue Devil at a depth of 6 m, Port Phillip Bay, November 2009. Image: Sascha Schulz
© Sascha Schulz

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Paraplesiops
    Species
    alisonae
    Family
    Plesiopidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    Up to 15 cm (standard length)

Introduction

Alison's Blue Devil is a small spotted species that is only known from south-eastern Australian coastal waters.

The holotype of the species is housed in the Australian Museum Fish Collection (AMS I.19921–013).

Identification

Alison's Blue Devil is a small species that has blue spots on the head and blue stripes on the dorsal and anal fins.

Habitat

The species occurs on coastal reefs to about 35 m in depth.

Distribution

The species is endemic to Australia, occurring from the central coast of Victoria, Tasmania and west to eastern South Australia.

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

Other behaviours and adaptations

It is a nocturnal species.

References

  1. Gomon, M.F., Bray, D. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 2008. The Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Reed New Holland. Pp. 928.