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Small-scale Bullseye
Pempheris compressa (Shaw, 1790)
Above and below: Small-scale Bullseyes at a depth of 5 m, "The Docks", Jervis Bay, New South Wales, March 2001. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
A Small-scale Bullseye at a depth of 18 m, Halifax Park Sponge Gardens Marine Reserve, Port Stephens, New South Wales, May 1999. Photo © D. & L. Atkinson. View larger image.
The Small-scale Bullseye is shiny silver-brown with a dusky bar behind the head. It has a very big eye and a large, oblique mouth. The lateral line is often yellow.
The front margin of the dorsal fin is sometimes black, but the Small-scale Bullseye lacks the conspicuous black fin tips found in some other species of bullseyes such as the Black-tipped Bullseye.
The Small-scale Bullseye grows to 20 cm in length.
This fish forms large schools which are usually seen in caves or near dropoffs.
This species is recorded in coastal waters of eastern Australia from northern New South Wales to northern Victoria.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Related links
- Black-tipped Bullseye fact sheet
- Rough Bullseye fact sheet
- Common Bullseye fact sheet
- View the Bullseyes list
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
