Blue maomao | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Perciformes |
Family: | Kyphosidae |
Genus: | Scorpis |
Species: | S. violacea |
Binomial name | |
Scorpis violacea (F. W. Hutton, 1873) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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The blue maomao (Scorpis violacea), also known as the violet sweep, blue sweep or hardbelly, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a member of the subfamily Scorpidinae, part of the sea chub family Kyphosidae. It is native to the southwestern Pacific Ocean from Australia to New Zealand and the Kermadec Islands, where it can be found in inshore waters from the surface to depths of 30 m (98 ft). This fish can reach a length of 40 cm (16 in). It is commercially important and is also a popular game fish.
The blue maomao has a laterally, compressed and relatively deep body with a noticeably forked tail. They have protrusible jaws, equipped with a number of rows of small, closely set teeth, which are used to capture larger zooplankton. The adults are deep blue dorsally and pale ventrally, at night they change colour to a mottled dark green. The juveniles are grey with a yellow anal fin. [2] They can grow to a fork length 45 centimetres (18 in). [3] The dorsal fin has 9 spines and 27 soft rays and the anal fin has 2 spines and 25 soft rays. [2]
Blue maomao are found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean around North Island, New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands and have been recorded in Australia. [2]
The blue maomao is a schooling fish of inshore waters, especially rocky areas, which feed on zooplankton [4] although when zooplankton are scarce they will graze on algae. When feeding in schools chasing shrimps near the surface they can cause the water to foam. Each fish has a favoured sleeping spot among the rocks during the night and they change colour from blue to mottle green at night. Occasionally they will sleep in groups over sheltered, sandy areas. They are tactile fish and when not feeding will rub themselves on pebbles and they will also visit cleaner fish when there is no apparent need for them to be cleaned. They spawn from September to November and the juveniles are recorded from October to December, the eggs are 0.8 mm in diameter and contain an oil droplet. These fish can live to be 15 years old. [2]
The blue maomao was first formally described in 1873 as Ditrema violacea by Frederick Hutton with the type locality given as Wellington. [5]
Blue maomao are a quarry for commercial fisheries in New Zealand where 3,518 kilograms (7,756 lb) were landed in 2019. [6] They are also popular with recreational fishermen, especially for spearfishing. [3]
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The silver sweep, also known as the false pompano, sweep, trumps or windawindawi, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the subfamily Scorpidinae of the sea chub family Kyphosidae. It is native to the southwestern Pacific Ocean from Australia to New Zealand.
The parore also known as luderick, black bream, black snapper or blackfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the family Kyphosidae which is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean off Australia and New Zealand. Parore or paraore is the common name in New Zealand but in Australia luderick is preferred.
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Arripis trutta, known as the Australian salmon in Australia and as kahawai in New Zealand, is a South Pacific marine fish and one of the four extant species within the genus Arripis, native to the cooler waters around the southeastern Australian coasts and the New Zealand coastline. Other common names for this species include Eastern Australian salmon, bay trout, blackback salmon, buck salmon, cocky salmon, colonial salmon, newfish and salmon trout.
The toadstool groper, also known as the Pacific rockcod, Pacific perch, Strawberry cod and whitespotted sea bass is a sea bass of the subfamily Anthiinae of the family Serranidae, is found in the southern Pacific Ocean. Its length is between 20 and 40 cm.
The pink maomao, also known as the longfin perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a member of the subfamily Anthiinae which is part of the grouper and sea bass family Serranidae. It is found in the southern Pacific and the southeastern Indian Ocean.
The yellowspotted sawtail, or spotted sawtail, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
Kyphosus sectatrix, the Bermuda chub, Pacific drummer, beaked chub, grey drummer, Pacific chub or white chub, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the family Kyphosidae. This species is found in tropical and subtropical coastal waters worldwide. It has had a confused taxonomic history dating back to Linnaeus's naming of the species in 1758.
The inscribed wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
The lunar fusilier, also known as the blue fusilier or moon fusilier, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a fusilier belonging to the family Caesionidae. It is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific area.
Kyphosus azureus, the zebra-perch sea chub, zebra perch or zebra sea chub, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the family Kyphosidae which is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean coasts of North America.
Kyphosus ocyurus, the blue-striped chub or rainbow chub, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the family Kyphosidae. The species is found in the Pacific Ocean where it prefers rocky substrates.
Arripis xylabion, the giant kahawai, northern kahawai or Kermadec kahawai, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, one of the four species in the genus Arripis, which is the only genus in the family Arripidae. It is endemic to the south-western Pacific Ocean.
Kyphosus bigibbus, the brown chub, grey drummer, darkfin drummer, insular rudderfish, grey chub, grey sea chub, southern drummer or topsail drummer is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the family Kyphosidae. It is a herbivorous species which is found in subtropical and tropical seas worldwide.
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