Pachymetopon aeneum

Blue hottentot
Pachymetopon aeneum
Pachymetopon aeneum, Tsitsikamma, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Photo: Graham Edgar

Distribution

Localised


Description

Silvery with an iridescent blue sheen, and darker lines following scale rows, head can be blotchy. Found over rocky substrate on inshore and offshore reefs. An esteemed food fish. Endemic to South Africa.


Information

Max Size: 55 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 16.1-23.6°C

Depth: 10-100m

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: Widespread (66.7% 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: Several (5 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields