Blue knifefish

Taxobox
name = Blue knifefish


image_caption = Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Perciformes
familia = Kyphosidae
genus = "Labracoglossa"
species = "L. nitida"
binomial = "Labracoglossa nitida"
binomial_authority = McCulloch & Waite, 1916

The blue knifefish, "Labracoglossa nitida", is a sea chub of the genus "Labracoglossa", found off eastern Australia, and around the offshore islands of the east coast of Northland on the North Island of New Zealand, to depths of 20 m. Its length is between 15 and 20 cm.

The blue knifefish is a small, moderately elongate pelagic fish with a narrow body with low dorsal and anal fins, a deeply forked tail, and eyes positioned right at the tip of the snout. The body colour is bright blue, paler on the belly, and there is a yellow flash running from the caudal peduncle forward along the back and fading out beneath the spiny dorsal fin.

Blue knifefish swim either singly or in small groups, moving very rapidly and erratically, stopping occasionally to feed on planktonic crustaceans. They are often in association with blue maomao or koheru, but are not found in the open ocean preferring to remain not too far from rocky reefs.

References

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* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, "Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand", (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8