Pempheris compressa

Small-scale bullseye
Pempheris compressa
Pempheris compressa, Southwest Rocks, NSW, Photo: Ian Shaw
Pempheris compressa
Pempheris compressa, Batemans Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Pempheris compressa
Pempheris compressa, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Photo: Ian Shaw
Pempheris compressa
Pempheris compressa, juvenile, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
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Pempheris compressa
Pempheris compressa
Pempheris compressa
Pempheris compressa

Distribution

Temperate Australasia


Description

Eastern conterpart of the rough bullseye. It differs in having a reddish bar behind the head, a smaller reddish marking below the eye, and a thin black line along the leading margin of the dorsal fin. The species is abundant in caves on offshore reefs, with juveniles generally occurring in shallower water, particularly near the entrance to estuaries.


Information

Max Size: 20 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 15.3-23.6°C

Depth: 5-30m

Habitat Generalization Index: 23.66

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: Common (44.5% 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: Many (43 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