Suezichthys aylingi
Crimson cleaner fish
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Most intensely coloured local wrasse species, particularly the terminal-phase male. The body is a scarlet colour with a white line along the side; purple lines are present along the base of the fins and on the head. This species is not often seen by divers but is common on deep reefs. It is sometimes observed picking parasites off other fishes.
Information
Max Size: 12 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 14.3-22.6°C
Depth: 20-100 m
Habitat Generalization Index: 2.37
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: Least Concern
Occurrence: Infrequent (9.8% 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 (3 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