New Zealand bigeye
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| New Zealand bigeye | ||||||||||||||
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| Pempheris adspersa Griffin, 1927 |
New Zealand bigeye, Pempheris adspersa, is a sweeper of the genus Pempheris, found around New Zealand to depths of about 100 metres, in reef areas of broken rock containing suitable caves and overhangs. Its length is between 5 and 15 cm.
The New Zealand bigeye avoids light and is typically found during the day hovering inside caves and under overhangs. As the light dims at dusk they venture out to feed on planktonic animals which move into shallow water during the hours of darkness.
The New Zealand bigeye is a small deep-bodied fish whose head is taken up by huge eyes which are positioned immediately behind the vertical trap-door-like mouth. They are chocolate brown in colour with a faint purple tinge when seen during the day. Juvenile New Zealand bigeye are a translucent green with black tips on their fins, which provides effective camouflage amongst the kelp fronds in which they live at that stage.
[edit] References
- Pempheris adspersa (TSN 169474). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 11 March 2006.
- "Pempheris adspersa". 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
