Alison's Blue Devil, Paraplesiops alisonae Hoese & Kuiter 1984
A juvenile Alison's Blue Devil, Paraplesiops alisonae, in Port Phillip, Victoria. Source: Rudie H. Kuiter / Aquatic Photographics. License: All rights reserved
Alison's Blue Devil is the only species in the genus Paraplesiops to show colour pattern differences between the sexes. Females and juveniles are dusky brownish to grey, with bright blue spots on the head, blue stripes along the dorsal and anal fins and a blue margin on the caudal fin. Males are more orange in colour with blue spots on the head and wavy blue lines on the fins. Both males and females have blue spots along the front part of the lateral line.
Alison's Blue Devil, Paraplesiops alisonae Hoese & Kuiter 1984
More Info
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Distribution |
Endemic to temperate waters of southern Australia, from Inverloch, Victoria, to Flinders Island, King Island, and the Tamar River mouth, Tasmania, and west to Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
A nocturnal species that shelters in caves and under ledges on coastal reefs, at depths to 35 m. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin XI-XII, 9-11; Anal fin III, 9-11; Caudal fin 17-18; Pectoral fin 17-18; Pelvic fin I, 4; Lateral line 34-38 + 12-16. Body moderately long, compressed, head bluntly rounded, mouth reaching to hind margin of eye; dorsal and anal fins slightly elongated posteriorly, almost reaching to the end of the large rounded tail, slender pelvic fins and lateral line in two parts. |
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Size |
To 15 cm SL |
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Colour |
Females and juveniles are dusky brownish to grey, with an orange head covered in bright blue spots, longitudinal blue stripes on the dorsal and anal fins and a blue margin to the caudal fin. Males are more orange in colour with blue spots on the head and wavy blue lines on the fins. Both males and females have blue spots along the front part of the lateral line. |
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Biology |
The sexes are separate, and fertilisation is external. Males and females form pairs, and females lay an egg mass beneath ledges and in caves. The male parent guards the developing eggs until the larvae hatch. |
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Etymology |
The species is named for Alison Kuiter. |
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Species Citation |
Paraplesiops alisonae Hoese & Kuiter 1984, Records of the Australian Museum 36(1/2): 11, figs 1-3. Type locality: Portsea Pier, Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2024 |
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Resources |
Alison's Blue Devil, Paraplesiops alisonae Hoese & Kuiter 1984
References
Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp.
Hoese, D.F. & Kuiter, R.H. 1984. A revision of the Australian plesiopid fish genus Paraplesiops, with notes on other Australian genera. Records of the Australian Museum 36(1/2): 7-18 figs 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.36.1984.322
Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp.
Hutchins, J.B. & Thompson, M. 1983. The Marine and Estuarine Fishes of South-western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 103 pp. 345 figs (p. 28, as Paraplesiops species)
Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.
Kuiter, R.H. 1994. Family Plesiopidae. pp. 552-558 figs 490-495 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.
Kuiter, R.H. 2004. Basslets, Hamlets and their relatives. A comprehensive guide to selected Serranidae and Plesiopidae. Chorleywood, UK : TMC Publishing 1, 216 pp.
Kuiter, R. & Kuiter, S. 2018. Coastal sea-fishes of south-eastern Australia. Seaford, Victoria : Aquatic Photographics, 371 pp.
Mooi, R.D. 1999. Families Plesiopidae, Notograptidae. pp. 2586-2587 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. 4 pp. 2069-2790.
Mooi, R.D. 2008. Family Plesiopidae. pp.550-556 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.
