''Paraplesiops'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

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 In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% ...

es in the longfin, or roundhead, family Plesiopidae, commonly known as blue devils, bluedevils, or blue devilfish because of their colouration. The genus is most similar to the tropical genera '' Plesiops'' and '' Fraudella''. It is restricted to subtropical and temperate rocky and coral reefs in Australian waters. Its species are mostly cryptic, occurring in submarine caves, crevices and under rocky ledges.

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 protect ...

'' ( Günther, 1861) – eastern blue devil * '' Paraplesiops meleagris'' ( 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 P ...

'' 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 P ...

* ''

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

References

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