McCulloch's Scalyfin, Parma mccullochi Whitley 1929

Other Names: Common Scalyfin, Mcculloch's Parma, Mccullochs Scalyfin

McCulloch's Scalyfin, Parma mccullochi, at Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Source: Rick Stuart-Smith / Reef Life Survey. License: CC by Attribution

Summary:

A dark brown to almost black damselfish with blue spots scattered over the body, and the anterior margins of the fins with a neon blue edge. Juveniles are mostly yellow with a darker head and back darker and neon blue spots and lines.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2025, Parma mccullochi in Fishes of Australia, accessed 27 Jun 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/2327

McCulloch's Scalyfin, Parma mccullochi Whitley 1929

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to Western Australia, from the Recherche Archipelago to Kalbarri. The species is abundant on inshore rocky reefs along the south-west coast.
Features	Dorsal fin XIII, 18-19; Anal fin II, 14-15; Pectoral fin 20-21; Pelvic fin I, 5; Caudal fin 15; Gill rakers 19-23; Lateral-line scales 27-32. Body deep (52-59% SL), compressed. Head of moderate size (29-33% SL); eyes small (23-31% HL); mouth small, oblique; each jaw with single row of elongate, narrow teeth having conical to nearly pointed tips. Scales ctenoid, large, covering body, most of head and fin bases, membranes of vertical fins mostly covered with small scales; lateral line interrupted, anterior segment following contour of back to below first few soft dorsal fin rays, posterior segment originating immediately below on midline of side, continuing to base of caudal fin. Dorsal fin continuous, with elongate base, spines of similar length, soft portion much taller than spinous portion, somewhat triangular in profile; anal fin opposite and similar, though somewhat lower and more lobe like than posterior half of dorsal fin; caudal fin forked, tips pointed. Pectoral and pelvic fins pointed, of moderate size, pelvics thoracic.
Colour	Adults dark brown to nearly black with blue spots scattered over body; anterior margins of fins with neon blue edge. Juveniles mostly yellow; head and back darker with blue spots and lines.
Feeding	It consumes algae (Saunders et al. 2013, 2014).
Biology	Males construct and maintain nests of red and green algae during late spring and early summer,. Females lay adhesive eggs into the nests, and the male parent guards and aerates the eggs until the larvae hatch.
Fisheries	Reportedly sold in the aquarium trade.
Etymology	The species is "named in honour of the late ichthyologist A. R. McCulloch, who drew, whilst still in his teens, the accurate and beautiful figures of the allied Parma microlepis showing its variations with growth”.
Species Citation	Parma mccullochi Whitley 1929, Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 9(3): 228. Type locality: Rottnest Island, Western Australia.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2025
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

McCulloch's Scalyfin, Parma mccullochi Whitley 1929

References

Allen, G.R. 1991. Damselfishes of the World. Melle, Germany : Mergus Verlag 271 pp.

Allen, G.R. 2001. Family Pomacentridae. pp. in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218.

Allen, G.R. 2022. Parma mccullochi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T188519A1887128. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T188519A1887128.en. Accessed on 28 April 2025.

Allen, G.R. & Gomon, M.F. 2008. Family Pomacentridae. pp. 634-638 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Hoese, D.F. 1975. A review of the pomacentrid fish genus Parma, with descriptions of two new species. Records of the Western Australian Museum 3(4): 261-294 figs 1-18

Edgar, G.J. 2008. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Sydney : Reed New Holland 2nd edn, 624 pp.

Hoschke, A., Whisson, G. & Moore, G.I. 2019. Complete list of fishes from Rottnest Island. pp. 150-161 in Whisson, G. & Hoschke, A. (eds). The Rottnest Island fish book. 2nd ed. Perth : Aqua Research and Monitoring Services.

Hutchins, J.B. 1994. A survey of the nearshore reef fish fauna of Western Australia's west and south coasts — The Leeuwin Province. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 46: 1-66 figs 1-6

Hutchins, J.B. 1997. Checklist of fishes of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. pp. 239-253 in Wells, F. (ed.) The Marine Fauna and Flora of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum.

Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Biodiversity of shallow reef fish assemblages in Western Australia using a rapid censusing technique. Records of the Western Australian Museum 20: 247-270

Kuiter, R.H. 1994. Family Pomacentridae. pp. 668-675, figs 586-591 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.

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.

Saunders, B.J. 2011. The ecology of territorial herbivorous damselfish (genus Parma) on temperate Western Australian rocky reef. Ph.D thesis, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth.

Saunders, B.J., Harvey, E.S. & Kendrick, G.A. 2013. Nesting behaviour of a temperate damselfish (Parma mccullochi) and its influence on algae. Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology 46: 169-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/10236244.2013.801173

Saunders, B.J., Harvey, E.S. & Kendrick, G.A. 2014. Factors influencing and habitat associations in an endemic group of temperate Western Australian reef fishes over a latitudinal gradient. Marine Ecology Progress Series 517: 193-208. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11000

Saunders, B.J., Kendrick, G,.A. & Harvey, E.S. 2015. Temperate territorial damselfish act like tropical damselfish, but have no measurable effect on algae within their feeding areas. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 472: 107–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2015.06.021

Whitley, G.P. 1929. Some fishes of the order Amphiprioniformes. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 9(3): 207-246 figs 1-4 pls 27-28 See ref at BHL