Cristiceps australis: Difference between revisions

Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps aurantiacus) is a weedfish of the genus Cristiceps, found around New South Wales, Australia and New Zealand in rock pools and from low water to depths of about 30 metres, in reef areas of broken rock and brown seaweed. It is not often seen but is far more common than thought due to its superb camouflage, and in this respect is similar to the New Zealand topknot. Its length is between 8 and 25 centimetres. The high first dorsal fin is very far forward starting directly above the eyes, giving the fish its common name. The second dorsal fin is separated from the first and has a number of holes in the membrane. The caudal peduncle is long and thin ending in a small fan-like tail.

The colouration is a uniform orange-brown with a dark brown vertical bar through the eyes and a few small dark brown dots on the body.

Crested Weedfish live exclusively amongst kelp fronds, especially Ecklonia radiata. They are perfectly adapted to live in this environment being extremely difficult to spot. They tend to "walk" rather than swim, using their long narrow pelvic fins and fan-like pectoral fins. When moving from one patch of kelp to another they "roll" along the bottom mimicking a piece of kelp being swept along by a wave surge.

Like all other members of the family Crested Weedfish are live bearers. Their food is small kelp-living crustaceans and newly settled larval fish.

• "Cristiceps aurantiacus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 11 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
• Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Cristiceps aurantiacus". FishBase. January 2006 version.
• Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8