Blue groper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue groper |
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| Achoerodus viridis | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Labriformes |
| Family: | Labridae |
| Genus: | Achoerodus T. N. Gill, 1863 |
| Type species | |
| Labrus gouldii J. Richardson, 1843
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| Distributions: Red = eastern blue groper Dark blue = western blue groper |
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The blue groper is a type of fish found in the ocean. These fish belong to a group called Achoerodus. They are a kind of wrasse, which is a family of fish known for their thick lips and strong teeth.
Blue gropers live in the coastal waters of southern Australia. You can easily spot the adult males because they are a bright, beautiful blue color!
Contents
What Do Blue Gropers Look Like?
Blue gropers have a strong, thick body. They have special peg-like teeth, large scales, big tails, and thick lips.
Their color changes as they grow.
- Young blue gropers are usually brown or greenish-brown.
- Adult females are brown or yellowish-green. They might have darker red spots on their scales.
- Adult males are the ones with the famous bright blue color. This blue can be very dark, like navy blue, or a brighter cobalt blue. Sometimes, they also have darker or yellow-orange spots or lines around their eyes.
Amazing Life Cycle of Blue Gropers
All blue gropers start their lives as females. This is a really cool fact about them!
As they get older, they go through different stages. Some females might stay female, while others can actually change their sex and become males.
When they reach their final adult stage, they get their full adult colors. This is when the males turn bright blue.
How They Change Sex
In an area where blue gropers live, you usually find only one or two male fish. There are many more females around them.
If the main male blue groper in an area dies, something amazing happens. The largest female in that group will start to grow bigger. Then, she will change her color and her sex, becoming the new dominant male! This helps the group survive and continue to have a leader.
Where Blue Gropers Live
These fish live in many different coastal areas. They especially like exposed reefs, which are underwater rocky areas. They can live for a long time, with some sources saying up to 35 years!
Blue Gropers and People
Blue gropers are very curious fish. They often swim close to divers, as if they expect to be fed. In the past, people used to feed them by cutting up sea urchins. However, this is now discouraged to protect the fish and their natural behavior.
Protection in Australia
In Australia, blue gropers are very special.
- The state of New South Wales has given them special protection.
- The eastern blue groper was made the official state fish emblem of New South Wales in 1998.
- Because they are protected, it is against the law to spear blue gropers.
- There are also rules about how many you can catch with a fishing line. This helps make sure there are always enough blue gropers in the ocean.
Species of Blue Gropers
There are two main types of blue gropers that scientists recognize:
- Achoerodus gouldii – This is known as the western blue groper.
- Achoerodus viridis – This is known as the eastern blue groper.
See also
In Spanish: Achoerodus para niños
