Top 3 Unusual Sightings of the Year
Yvette Barry, 13 Dec 2013.
The warty prowfish, sooty grunter and moorish idol all made it on the list (and not because of their unusual names!). Check out the Top 3 sightings submitted to Redmap in each state.
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WA: A Redthroat emperor off Rottnest Is, on the border of its usual range. This is the number one fish logged on Redmap WA (Photo: MarkR).
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NSW: The Moorish Idol is the second most reported fish to Redmap NSW. (Photo: Tom Davies)
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QLD: A painted anglerfish spotted by diver Loren Mariani south of Brisbane.
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VIC: The western blue groper is the top species logged on Redmap Vic. Redmap is interested in tracking its distribution in all Victorian waters (Photo: Mary Malloy)
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TAS: A juvenile white ear spotted in Bicheno by Redmap member Laura Smith. It's the most reported 'uncommon' fish on Redmap Tasmania.
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SA: This warty prowfish has an unusual name and appearance - but it's not unusual in SA waters. But not much is known about this rare species, so Redmap is interested in any sightings around Australia (Photo: Julian Finn).
Redmap Australia is celebrating its first year!
Marine biologists will analyse the 430+ sightings reported by divers, fishers and the public around Australia since last December.
These observations help scientists track which species are shifting into new regions in response to changing seas and ocean warming.
But we couldn’t wait for the boffins to crunch the numbers...
Here are the Top 3 marine sightings submitted to Redmap in each state during our inaugural year.
These are the most reported species on Redmap and include sightings of fish both in and out of their usual home range.
(Although people considered them ‘unusual’ enough in their local seas to log them on Redmap!)
Top 3 Redmap Sightings:
Western Australia (click on links to view species):
1. Redthroat emperor (Lethrinus miniatus)
2. Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans)
3. Red emperor (Lutjanus sebae)
New South Wales:
1. Brokenline wrasse (Stethojulis interrupta)
2. Moorish idol (Zanclus cornutus)
3. Threadfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga)
Queensland:
1. Barramundi (Lates calcarifer)
2. Painted Anglerfish (Antennarius pictus)
3. Sooty grunter (Hephaestus fuliginosus)
Victoria:
1. Western blue groper (Achoerodus gouldii)
2. White ear (Parma microlepis)
3. Short boarfish (Parazanclistius hutchinsi)
Tasmania:
1. White ear (Parma microlepis)
2. Slender tuna (Allothunnus fallai)
3. Warty prowfish (Aetapcus maculatus)
South Australia:
1. Warty prowfish (Aetapcus maculatus)
(more community data is needed in SA!)
Redmap will analyse the citizen science data over time. But we need more data = your observations! So keep those unusual sightings and photos coming in via redmap.org.au or the Redmap phone app!
(* data until 1 Dec 2013)
