''Pachymetopon aeneum'', the blue hottentot, is a
species of
marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
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demersal
ray-finned fish belonging to the
family (family
Sparidae
The Sparidae are a family of fish in the order Perciformes, commonly called sea breams and porgies. The sheepshead, scup, and red seabream are species in this family. Most sparids are deep-bodied compressed fish with a small mouth separated by a ...
) which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is endemic to the south and east coasts of
South Africa.
Distribution
Only known from
False Bay to
Sodwana Bay
Sodwana Bay is a bay in South Africa on the KwaZulu Natal north coast, between St. Lucia and Lake Sibhayi. It is in the Sodwana Bay National Park, and the Maputaland Marine Reserve, and is a popular recreational diving destination. The term is co ...
.
Depth range usually from 20 to 50 m. Subtropical, from 28°S to 34°S.
Description
A silvery bronze fish, streaked with blue, with a darker blue head, and with the head shorter than body depth. The blues fade after death. There are 2.2 to 2.5 depths to the standard length, and the pectoral fins are longer than the head. The snout profile is slightly concave in adult males, and a there is characteristic bulge between the eyes. The lateral line smoothly follows the curve of the back.
The fish has a small mouth with five rows of incisors in each jaw, and no molars.
The dorsal fin is soft, with 10 to 11 spines and 11 to 13 rays. The anal fin is scaled at the base and has 3 spines and 10 rays.
Habitat
The blue hottentot lives on rocky reefs to a depth of 75 m. The fish feeds on reef invertebrates such as ascidians, polychaetes, hydroids, octocorals, sponges and gastropods.
Life cycle
Demersal
The demersal zone is the part of the sea or ocean (or deep lake) consisting of the part of the water column near to (and significantly affected by) the seabed and the benthos. The demersal zone is just above the benthic zone and forms a layer of ...
, spawns from September to March.
They mature as females at about 25 cm and change to male at a larger size, can live to 12 years, and can reach 60 cm and 5 kg.
Importance to humans
Commercial and recreational linefish, mostly caught from boats.
Considered good eating, and sold fresh.
Conservation status
IUCN least concern, assessed in December 2009. Not evaluated by CITES.
References
aeneum
Fish described in 1908
Fish of South Africa
{{Perciformes-stub