A fish that raises eyebrows
The Redmap Team, 01 Aug 2016.
It looks somewhat amusing - an orange fish with bulbous googly eyes. But this Redmap sighting of an eyebrow perch (Hypoplectrodes species) in SE Tasmania is a very special one. It is possibly the first known occurrence of this species so far south!
A fish out of water
When Redmap member David Freeman caught this Hypoplectrodes species south of Hobart he knew it was a rare sighting. David popped the eyebrow perch in his freezer and contacted Redmap.
The fish was donated for analysis to one of Redmap's verification scientist John Pogonoski at the CSIRO in Hobart. He believes it may well be the first recorded sighting of this species so far south.
"It has previously been recorded from NSW, the Tasman Sea (Lord Howe Island and West Norfolk Ridge) and New Zealand in depths of 30-285m," said John Pogonoski. "The common name comes from a bony crest above each eye."
That explains the googly eyes!
What now?
Scientists now need to confirm the classification of this species. This species is currently being revised by Dr Clive Roberts at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (hence why it’s called “species A” above!).
Thanks to David for donating the specimen to the CSIRO Australian National Fish Collection, Hobart, and to CSIRO scientist John for verifying it!
