Blue Scissortail, Assessor macneilli Whitley 1935
Other Names: Blue Assessor, Blue Devilfish, Macneill's Assessor, Squatter
A Blue Scissortail, Assessor macneilli, on Flynn Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Source: Andrew J. Green / Reef Life Survey. License: CC by Attribution
Summary:
A dark blue scissortail with a narrow pale blue margin on the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins. Divers often see groups of scissortails swimming upside down in caves and under ledges.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2017, Assessor macneilli in Fishes of Australia, accessed 23 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3471
Blue Scissortail, Assessor macneilli Whitley 1935
More Info
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Distribution |
Outer barrier reefs from Cape York to at least Lady Musgrave Reef, southern Queensland; also reefs in the Coral Sea. Elsewhere, the species occurs in New Guinea and New Caledonia. May form aggregations of up 100 individuals in caves, crevices and under ledges. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin XI, 8-10; Anal fin III, 9-10; Pectoral fin 14-16; gill rakers on first arch (total) 23-17; tubed lateral-line scales 17-23 + 3-9. |
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Feeding |
Planktivore - feeds on small crustaceans such as copepods, ostracods and amphipods. |
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Biology |
Males incubate the eggs in their mouths, with an incubation period of about 15-16 days. Several days prior to hatching the male's mouth is continually held open and the eggs are shifted back and forth at intervals ranging between two to eight minutes (Allen & Kuiter 1976). |
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Species Citation |
Assessor macneilli Whitley 1935, Rec. Aust. Mus. 19(4): 231. Type locality: Hayman Island, Whitsunday Passage, QLD. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2017 |
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Resources |
Blue Scissortail, Assessor macneilli Whitley 1935
References
Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.
Coleman, N. 1981. Australian Sea Fishes North of 30°S. Lane Cove, NSW : Doubleday Australia Pty Ltd 297 pp.
Kuiter, R.H. 1992. Tropical Reef-Fishes of the Western Pacific, Indonesia and Adjacent Waters. Jakarta : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama 314 pp. pls.
Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.
Kuiter, R.H. 2004. Basslets, Hamlets and their relatives. A comprehensive guide to selected Serranidae and Plesiopidae. Chorleywood, UK : TMC Publishing 1, 216 pp.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.
Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2
Whitley, G.P. 1935. Studies in Ichthyology No. 9. Records of the Australian Museum 19(4): 215-250 figs 1-11 pl. 18
Whitley, G.P. 1940. Illustrations of some Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 9(4): 397-428 figs 1-45 pls 30-31
