''Paraplesiops'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

containing five largely

allopatric Allopatric speciation () – also referred to as geographic speciation, vicariant speciation, or its earlier name the dumbbell model – is a mode of speciation that occurs when biological populations become geographically isolated from ...

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

es in the longfin, or roundhead, family

Plesiopidae The longfins, also known as roundheads or spiny basslets, are a Family (biology), family, Plesiopidae, which were formerly placed in the order Perciformes or considered indeterminate Percomorpha, percomorphs, but are now considered basal Blenniifo ...

, commonly known as blue devils, bluedevils, or blue devilfish because of their colouration. The genus is most similar to the tropical genera ''

Plesiops ''Plesiops'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes in the family Plesiopidae. It is a genus of small fishes which vary in length from and and which live in shallow coral flats or around heads of coral. They have elongated pelvic fins and the other fi ...

'' and ''

Fraudella The carp prettyfin (''Fraudella carassiops'') is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Plesiopidae, the longfins or roundheads. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic locatio ...

''. It is restricted to subtropical and temperate rocky and coral reefs in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

n waters. Its species are mostly cryptic, occurring in submarine caves, crevices and under rocky ledges. ''Paraplesiops'' often hide unless food is available, they are very friendly fish unless around their prey. They eat small fish or crustaceans.

Species

There are five recognized species: * ''

Paraplesiops alisonae Alison's blue devil (''Paraplesiops alisonae'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae. It was described in 1984 and named for Alison Kuiter, the wife of Rudie Kuiter, because he said she saw the species first. It has a brown hea ...

'' Hoese and Kuiter, 1984 –

Alison's blue devil Alison's blue devil (''Paraplesiops alisonae'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae. It was described in 1984 and named for Alison Kuiter, the wife of Rudie Kuiter, because he said she saw the species first. It has a brown hea ...

* ''

Paraplesiops bleekeri ''Paraplesiops bleekeri'', commonly known as the eastern blue devil, blue-tipped long-fin or Bleeker's blue devil fish, is a species of fish in the family Plesiopidae. This colourful, secretive fish is endemic to Australia, where it is a protec ...

'' ( Günther, 1861) –

eastern blue devil ''Paraplesiops bleekeri'', commonly known as the eastern blue devil, blue-tipped long-fin or Bleeker's blue devil fish, is a species of fish in the family Plesiopidae. This colourful, secretive fish is endemic to Australia, where it is a protec ...

* ''

Paraplesiops meleagris The southern blue devil (''Paraplesiops meleagris'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae endemic to southern Australia. It is a close relative of the eastern blue devil (''Paraplesiops bleekeri''), which lives in the coastal w ...

'' ( Peters, 1869) –

southern blue devil The southern blue devil (''Paraplesiops meleagris'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae endemic to southern Australia. It is a close relative of the eastern blue devil (''Paraplesiops bleekeri''), which lives in the coastal w ...

* ''

Paraplesiops poweri The northern blue devil (''Paraplesiops poweri'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae. It has been recorded from the inshore waters of Queensland, eastern Australia, from Bowen to Moreton Bay. The specific name honours Percy ...

'' Ogilby, 1908 –

northern blue devil The northern blue devil (''Paraplesiops poweri'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae. It has been recorded from the inshore waters of Queensland, eastern Australia, from Bowen to Moreton Bay. The specific name honours Percy ...

* ''

Paraplesiops sinclairi The western blue devil (''Paraplesiops sinclairi'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae endemic to Western Australia. The fish is found in rocky reef habitats in the coastal, inshore waters of southwestern Western Australia, fr ...

'' Hutchins, 1987 –

western blue devil The western blue devil (''Paraplesiops sinclairi'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae endemic to Western Australia. The fish is found in rocky reef habitats in the coastal, inshore waters of southwestern Western Australia, fr ...

References

Plesiopinae Marine fish genera Taxa named by Pieter Bleeker {{Plesiopidae-stub