Eubalichthys mosaicus
Mosaic leatherjacket
Similar Species
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Distinctive and colourful arrangement of yellows, oranges and blues on the sides of a rounded body. As they age the oranges darken to black, the blues become paler and the body elongates. The smallest juveniles are common under large jellyfish in offshore waters, settling onto reefs in estuaries and sheltered bays. Adults are occasionally seen in diveable depths but are mainly confined to deep water.
Information
Max Size: 60 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 13.1-24.6°C
Depth: 0-80m
Habitat Generalization Index: 8.72
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Frequent (11.8% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Few (2 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney