New Zealand black angelfish
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| Parma alboscapularis Allen & Hoese, 1975 |
The New Zealand black angelfish or the black scalyfin, Parma alboscapularis, is a damselfish of the genus Parma, found around north eastern New Zealand to depths of a few metres, over shallow rocky reef areas. Its length is between 24 and 28 cm.
The New Zealand black angelfish is a deep-bodied chunky fish that has only comparatively recently been separated from the similar Australian white-ear scalyfin, Parma microlepis. It is unusual in that it grows rapidly to its adult size in about 18 months, but then stops growing so that all adult Black Angelfish are approximately equal in size. Both sexes are a uniform black in colour with a prominent white ear spot that can be turned off and on like a signal light within seconds. It appears to be an indicator of aggression.
Males prepare elaborate nests on vertical rock faces, consisting of at least 60 square cm of flat rock in which all the encrusting organisms have been bitten off, except small red and green algae. The remaining algae is carefully and continually cropped to a height of about 10 cm forming a uniform soft algal mat, all encroaching animal and plant life being carefully removed. During November and December females lay eggs which attach to the algae. The same nest will be used for years, and will be taken up by another fish upon the death of the owner.
Juvenile New Zealand black angelfish are completely different to their parents, being bright yellow with iridescent blue dots and a prominent black eye spot on the back.
New Zealand black angelfish's diet consists only of red and green algae, and they spend most of their time eating due to the low enery value of their food. This also protects them from being caught by anglers.
[edit] References
- Parma alboscapularis (TSN 615661). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 11 March 2006.
- "Parma alboscapularis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
