Vanikoro sweeper

Vanikoro sweeper

 

Scientific name : Pempheris vanicolensis

 

Family : Pempheridae (hatchetfish, 80 species)
Size : Up to 20 cm
Distribution : Indo-Pacific, from Mozambique to Polynesia

 

Biology : The hatchetfish is a typical cave fish, only coming out at night. Its large eyes enable it to find its way in the dark. It lives in shoals that can sometimes number several hundred individuals. It feeds on animal plankton, which it hunts in the open water.

 

IUCN status : Not assessed