Othos dentex
Harlequin fish
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Base colour can vary and can change very rapidly by individuals, but elongated bright blue spots along the side and back, and larger round pale (usually yellowish) spots along lower side are consistent. Large teeth and bulgy eyes are also characteristic. Similar in appearance to tropical coral trouts, but belongs to a different genus and is only found in temperate waters. Not particularly common, and usually found hidden under overhangs or in caves.
Information
Max Size: 75 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 14.8-22.8°C
Depth: 1-30 m
Habitat Generalization Index: N/A
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 (20.8% 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: Solitary (1 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