Brachaluteres jacksonianus
Pygmy leatherjacket
Brachaluteres jacksonianus, adult, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Brachaluteres jacksonianus, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Ian Shaw
Brachaluteres jacksonianus, juvenile, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Brachaluteres jacksonianus, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Ian Shaw
Brachaluteres jacksonianus, adult, Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Brachaluteres jacksonianus, Narooma, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Brachaluteres jacksonianus, Narooma, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Same Genus
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Small size and rounded shape. It is also unusual in that the dorsal spine lacks a secondary locking spine and can therefore be easily depressed. Southern pygmy leatherjackets are common in all southern states in seagrass and brown algal habitats. At night they often sleep while attached by mouth to seaweed fronds.
Information
Max Size: 10 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 11.5-24.6°C
Depth: 0-25m
Habitat Generalization Index: 5.2
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 (17.5% 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: 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