Species

Blue Moki

Latridopsis ciliaris, (Forster, 1801)

marine

About Blue Moki

Blue moki (Latridopsis ciliaris) is a species of marine ray finned fish belonging to the family Latridae, the trumpeters. It is native to the southwestern Pacific Ocean around New Zealand and occasionally off southeastern Australia at depths of 10 metres (33 ft) and greater. Juveniles inhabit inshore waters, preferring rocky reefs while adults mostly occur in offshore waters forming schools over open bottoms. Some solitary adults can be found on reefs. This species can reach a length of 80 centimetres (31 in) FL, though most do not exceed 63 centimetres (25 in) TL. This species is commercially important and is also popular as a game fish.

Despite the similarities in their common names, the blue moki are not closely related to the red moki, (Chirodactylus spectabilis), a species in the genus Chirodactylus, which is also known by the alternative common name of "banded morwong".

Blue moki in New Zealand occur throughout mainland waters from the Three Kings Islands to the southern edge of the Snares Shelf, and at the Chatham Islands. A single record of blue moki from the southern end of the Kermadec Island chain was reported, but this requires verification; it is not known if the species occurs elsewhere in the Kermadecs. Blue moki are also found in small numbers at the Auckland Islands.

Appearance

Blue moki are very similar to the copper moki in shape and size, but they differ in colour throughout the adult stage of their lives. Blue moki are known for their piercing colours, which is an array of pink and olive. A blue moki's phenotype is true to its name - they are dark blue/grey. They have a black edge to the caudal and soft dorsal fin. Blue moki belongs to the family Latridae commonly known as trumpeter, which has 4 subspecies of abundance in New Zealand waters. The copper moki which is another member of the genus is located in New South Wales and Tasmania but is rarely seen in New Zealand waters. The colouration of blue moki changes throughout its life time from juvenile to adolescences, their body colours change from green in juveniles to green/grey and through to blue/grey in large adults.

Habitat

Past research has found that blue moki are an endemic species to New Zealand, but more recent resources suggest that blue moki distribution patterns are more widespread, with sighting of the species occurring off Tasmania and New South Wales.

Diet

Blue moki feeds at the bottom, on a wide range of benthic invertebrates. It consumes a mouthful of turfing substrate, it then winnows out the prey. Blue moki intestines are often found with ingested sand and mud. This is a result of them feeding on benthic species such as crabs, gastropod, bivalve molluscs, polychaete worms and Munida gregaria. They also feed on juvenile sea urchins. Juvenile blue moki are located on reefs and eat small crustaceans amongst seaweeds, while adults prey on crabs, other crustaceans, shellfish and worms, which they suck from the sand or mud.

Humans & conservation

Blue moki is mostly caught on the east coast of New Zealand between Otara and Kaikōura it is a low value fishery. The commercial catch is caught as a bycatch of trawling and set netting for other target species. There are management practices in place for the blue moki fisheries such as a minimum catch size of 40 cm, area restrictions on certain types of fishing methods and a minimum net size of 114mm for target set net fishing of blue moki

Where to see it

No dive sites list Blue Moki yet. Explore the map to find sites near you.