Paranthias colonus

Pacific creole-fish | Pacific Creolfish
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, adult, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, juvenile, Nicaragua, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus, juvenile, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edar
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Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus
Paranthias colonus

Distribution

Tropical Eastern Pacific


Description

Red or reddish grey body with 2-3 pale blue or white spots in a line on rear part of back and another two on mid lateral line of tail base. Median fins red or reddish, and pectoral fin base bright red with a bright blue spot. Forms aggregations well above the reef but retreats quickly to the shelter of the reef at the approach of danger.


Information

Max Size: 36 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 20.8-30.2°C

Depth: 10-70m

Habitat Generalization Index: 30.66

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Occurrence: Widespread (53.8% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Large aggregations (169 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields