Paraplesiops meleagris, (Peters, 1869)
The southern blue devil (Paraplesiops meleagris) is a species of ray-finned fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae. Endemic to southern Australia, it is a close relative of the eastern blue devil (P. bleekeri), which lives in coastal waters of eastern Australia, and of the western blue devil (P. sinclairi) of southwestern Western Australia.
The southern blue devil grows to about 33 cm in length. The body is dark blue to bluish-grey and densely covered in brighter blue spots, and the dorsal, pelvic, anal and pelvic fins have a pale blue margin. The dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are relatively large.
The southern blue devil is found along the southern Australian coastline, from South Australia to eastern Victoria. It occupies reefs, ledges, crevices, and deep cave systems, at depths ranging from 3 to over 40 m, sometimes in small groups containing individuals of sizes varying from small juveniles to mature adults.
Eggs are laid on a substrate and are guarded by the male until they hatch.
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