Butterfly perch
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[Photo] Caesioperca lepidoptera (Butterfly perch). Photo by Ian Skipworth

The butterfly perch, Caesioperca lepidoptera, a sea bass of the subfamily Anthiinae of the family Serranidae , is found in the eastern Indian Ocean, and south west Pacific Ocean including southern Australia, and New Zealand. Its length is between 15 and 30 cm.

The butterfly perch is a deep-bodied species with a slightly pointed snout. Both dorsal fins are long and low with no gap between them, and the tail is lightly forked.

Colouration is a pale fawn-pink, tinged with bright blue on the head and fins, and a conspicuous black spot in the middle of each flank. The entire body and fins are covered with small close-set dark spots, only noticeable on close inspection.

Food consists of a wide range of mid-water planktonic animals, and this species forms loose feeding schools over rocky reefs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_perch

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