Bigscale bullseye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bigscale bullseye |
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The bigscale bullseye (also known as Pempheris multiradiata) is a cool type of fish. It's a ray-finned fish that lives in the ocean. This fish belongs to a family called Pempheridae, often known as sweepers. You can find them swimming near the coasts of southern Australia.
What Does It Look Like?
The bigscale bullseye has a body that is deep and flat from side to side. Its body gets narrower towards its tail. It has a big eye and a mouth that points upwards a bit.
This fish has a tall dorsal fin on its back. It also has a long anal fin on its underside. Both of these fins have scales at their bases.
Its body is covered in large scales. These scales are not very strongly attached to its skin. The fish can be light or dark purplish-brown. Its belly might be silvery.
You can often see 8 to 10 darker stripes along its sides. Its fins are usually dark too. Young bigscale bullseye fish look a bit different. They are mostly see-through with bronze or yellowish colours on their backs. Their dorsal fin has a black front edge. The tip of their anal fin is black. Their pelvic fins are yellow with black tips.
The dorsal fin has 5 strong spines and 11 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and between 32 and 39 soft rays. This fish can grow up to about 28 centimetres (11 in) long.
Where Does It Live?
The bigscale bullseye lives in the south-eastern Indian Ocean. It also lives in the south-western Pacific Ocean. It is only found in southern Australia.
You can find it from Rottnest Island in Western Australia all the way to Newcastle, New South Wales. It also lives around Tasmania.
Its Home and Habits
Bigscale bullseye fish like to live around rocky reefs. They can be found as deep as 70 metres (230 ft). However, they usually stay in shallower waters, less than 30 metres (98 ft) deep.
During the day, these fish gather in large groups called schools. They hide under ledges and inside caves. When night comes, they leave their hiding spots. They become active and search for food.
This fish is the most common type of Pempheris fish in southern Australia. Young bigscale bullseye fish form big schools. Adult fish are more likely to swim alone. They eat small creatures that float in the water.
How It Was Discovered
The bigscale bullseye was first officially described in 1879. It was named by a scientist called Carl Benjamin Klunzinger. The first fish of this type that was studied came from King George Sound in Western Australia.
