EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
European Journal of Ecology
In October 2013, we were two months into undertaking video
sampling of sh communies on poorly studied marine so-
sediment environments, o the southeast coast of Australia.
We sampled around 3 km oshore using baited remote under-
water video staons (BRUVS; Fig. 1) in relavely deep water
(50–60 m), beyond the ability to eecvely sample using SCU-
BA. We dropped cameras on what we thought to be sand, but
that turned out to be uncharted low-prole patch reef, full of
overhangs and crevices.
For our purposes, samples on non-target habitat
(reefs) are considered ‘failed’, typically stored on hard drives
and le to gather dust at the back of a laboratory. This me
though, perhaps because the seascape was so interesng, we
went through the enre hour-long video sample from a deep
oshore reef. And there it was, the unmistakeable electric blue
colouring, white stripes and shy emergence of an eastern blue
devil sh (Paraplesiops bleekeri) from a crevice to invesgate a
baited camera. This observaon occurred at nearly triple their
previously recorded depth (at 51 m) and more than 2 km fur-
ther down the connental shelf slope than previously observed
(video here).
Eastern blue devil sh are protected o the coast of
eastern Australia under the Fisheries Management Act 1994.
They are rare and endemic to eastern Australian coastal reefs
and considered vulnerable to extracon for the aquarium in-
dustry (NSW DPI 2006). Despite this, lile is known about them
beyond taxonomic and descripve informaon. In parcular,
lile is known about the full extent of their geographic and
depth range, informaon that is important to understanding
the exncon risk, crical habitat and management needs of
vulnerable and endemic species (Purcell et al. 2004).
The observaon of eastern blue devil sh, a demersal
(boom dwelling) coastal reef species, on deep oshore reefs
NATURAL HISTORY REPORT
The devil in the deep: expanding the
known habitat of a rare and protected sh
EJE 2018, 4(1): 22-29, doi: DOI 10.2478/eje-2018-0003
Lachlan C. Fetterplace
1,2
, John W. Turnbull
3
, Nathan A. Knott
4
, Natasha A. Hardy
5
1
School of Biological
Sciences, University
of Wollongong, NSW,
Australia.
Corresponding author,
E-mail: shthinkers@
gmail.com
2
Fish Thinkers Research
Group, 11 Riverleigh
Avenue, Gerroa, NSW
2534, Australia.
3
School of Biological,
Earth and Environmental
Science, University of
New South Wales, NSW
2052 Australia
4
Fisheries Research,
New South Wales
Department of Primary
Industries, 4 Woollamia
Road, Huskisson, NSW,
Australia
5
School of Life and
Environmental Sciences,
University of Sydney,
NSW 2006 Australia
The accepted geographic range of a species is related to both opportunity and effort in sampling that range.
In deepwater ecosystems where human access is limited, the geographic ranges of many marine species are
likely to be underestimated. A chance recording from baited cameras deployed on deep uncharted reef revealed
an eastern blue devil sh (
Paraplesiops bleekeri
) at a depth of 51 m and more than 2 km further down the
continental shelf slope than previously observed. This is the rst veriable observation of eastern blue devil
sh, a protected and endemic southeastern Australian temperate reef species, at depths greater than the typi-
cally accepted depth range of 30 m. Knowledge on the ecology of this and many other reef species is indeed
often limited to shallow coastal reefs, which are easily accessible by divers and researchers. Suitable habitat for
many reef species appears to exist on deeper offshore reefs but is likely being overlooked due to the logistics of
conducting research on these often uncharted habitats. On the basis of our observation at a depth of 51 m and
observations by recreational shers catching eastern blue devil shes on deep offshore reefs, we suggest that
the current depth range of eastern blue devil sh is being underestimated at 30 m. We also observed several
common reef species well outside of their accepted depth range. Notably, immaculate damsel (
Mecaenichthys
immaculatus
), red morwong (
Cheilodactylus fuscus
), mado (
Atypichthys strigatus
), white-ear (
Parma microl-
epis
) and silver sweep (
Scorpis lineolata
) were abundant and recorded in a number of locations at up to a depth
of at least 55 m. This underestimation of depth potentially represents a large area of deep offshore reefs and
micro-habitats out on the continental shelf that could contribute to the resilience of eastern blue devil sh to
extinction risk and contribute to the resilience of many reef species to climate change.
INTRODUCTION
ABSTRACT
Natural history, Biogeography, Range expansion, Eastern blue devil sh, BRUV, SCUBA, Recreational shing, Temperate reef,
Depth range, Patch reef
KEYWORDS
© 2018 Lachlan C. Fetterplace et al.
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
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23
was unusual, primarily because of the observed depth and dis-
tance from the coast. Eastern blue devil sh are charismac yet
shy (Fig. 2) crypc sh previously recorded in shallow coastal
waters and on inshore rocky reefs of 1–17 m (Edgar and Stuart-
Smith 2018) where they are found in caves, crevices and un-
der ledges (Kuiter 2000, NSW DPI 2006). Eastern blue devil sh
are listed as having a possible range down to 30 m (e.g. Kuiter
2000, NSW DPI 2006, Gomon et al. 2008); however, there are
no records on Reef Life Survey (RLS), a global database for reef
biota, at depths below 17.2 m. In fact, most RLS records are
from much shallower depths, with an average depth recorded
on the RLS database of 9.1 m (Edgar and Stuart-Smith 2014,
Edgar and Stuart-Smith 2018).
We know of no historical records in Australian muse-
ums or databases of eastern blue devil sh from deeper than
30 m either. Owing to a combinaon of their protected status
and the complex terrain they inhabit, commercial shers are
unlikely to come across them, as trawling is avoided on these
areas because of the risk of damage to nets. The vast major-
ity of sighngs and records of eastern blue devil sh are re-
ported from divers and researchers. The accepted depth range
of eastern blue devil sh and many coastal reef sh coincides
with the recreaonal dive limits of ~30 m, despite the fact that
Figure 1: Baited remote under water video staons (BRUVS) are oen
used to sample sh communies (taken from Feerplace and Rees
2017, CC BY 4.0). BRUVS are lowered to the sea oor (or to the desired
depth if sampling pelagic shes e.g. Rees et al. 2015 for an interest-
ing example) and le to record vising species without the need for an
operator to be connuously present. This allows a number of samples
to be taken simultaneously by deploying numerous BRUVS at the same
me over a number of sites. Other advantages of BRUVS include that it
avoids potenal behavioural changes sh may have in the presence of
divers, provides a permanent record, is non-extracve, and can survey
at depths, mes and in weather condions that are dangerous for div-
ers. The use of newer paired camera stereo BRUVS also allows the ac-
curate measurement of sh size (for a detailed review of BRUVS meth-
odology see Whitmarsh et al. 2017).
.
Figure 2: The eastern blue devil (Paraplesiops bleekeri) is a temperate cave-associated species that would not look out of place on a tropical reef.
Brightly coloured and a prize sighng for divers; they are protected in New South Wales (Australia) waters because of their natural rarity and low
abundance. (Photographer: John Turnbull: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
.
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Box 1: Extending our knowledge of deep reef assemblages
The eastern blue devil sh was not the only species that we re-
corded outside its known depth range. Aer the inial unexpect-
ed observaon of the eastern blue devil sh, we idened the
species present on another 17 addional ‘failed’ reef BRUVS sam-
ples collected across an approximately 75 km stretch of coastline
from Jervis Bay to Bawley Point, NSW, Australia (data available at
Feerplace and Kno 2018). It soon became clear that a number
of more common species were also captured on camera outside
their previously recorded depth range (Fig. 3, Table 1). Notably,
several common reef species, such as immaculate damsel, red
morwong, mado, white-ear and silver sweep, are all listed as oc-
curring down to 30 m, yet were present on 50–89% of deepwater
reef samples (Fig. 3, Table 1). Other species were observed <15
m outside their accepted depth range, including crimson-banded
wrasse (Notolabrus gymnogenis) on 17% of samples (Fig. 3, Table
1). We also found evidence that the depth range of one species,
redbanded grubsh (Parapercis binivirgata), ), includes much
‘shallower’ areas than listed in the scienc literature. This spe-
cies is listed as occurring in waters deeper than 86 m, however,
was present at a depth of 50 m on 39% of reef samples (Table 1).
These observaons further support our hypothesis that the depth
range of many other coastal reef species is likely underesmated.
Once o the reef edge, the sh communies found on
the surrounding sandy areas begin to change and are very dier-
ent to those on the reef (Schultz et al. 2012). Our study area is no
excepon; the patch reefs at a depth of 50 m tend to be domi-
nated by a range of more colourful or conspicuous species, whilst
the surrounding sand habitats sampled in Feerplace (2018) are
dominated by atheads (Platycephalidae), which use camouage
and burial in the sand to ambush prey. In contrast to the reef sam-
ples, none of the species encountered in comprehensive sampling
on so sediments at a depth of 50–60 m was outside its depth
range (Table 1). Species that occur on sand are much more likely
to have been caught in scienc or commercial trawling and the
capture depths then included in the scienc records.
Figure 3: Five species (photos from top to second from the boom are
red morwong, immaculate damsel, mado, white-ear and silver sweep)
that are common on shallow reefs and previously had an accepted
depth range of <30 m were observed regularly on deeper reefs in this
study (>50 m). Crimson-banded wrasse (boom photo) was also ob-
served outside their depth range on a small number of samples. (Pho-
tographer: John Turnbull: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
.
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Table 1: The list of species that were recorded on BRUVS samples with each species habitat associaon, percentage of reef (n=18) and sand (n=56) samples that each species was recorded on, depth range listed in the scienc literature
(depth range based on Kuiter 2000, Gomon et al. 2008, Froese and Pauly 2017, Bray 2018, McGrouther 2018) and maximum depth recorded in our study if greater than listed in the literature. Species that were recorded >10 m deeper
than in the literature are highlighted in bold..
Family Species Common Name Habitat Associaon
Reef Samples
(%)
So sediments
(%)
Depth Range
in Scienc
Literature (m)
Max Depth
Recorded
Current
Study (m)
Aracanidae Anoplocapros inermis Eastern Boxsh Demersal
- 2* 2–300
Aulopiformes Latropiscis purpurissatus Sergeant Baker Reef associated
44 - 15–250
Berycidae Centroberyx anis Nannygai Reef associated
94 - 10–450
Callanthiidae Callanthias australis Splendid Perch Reef associated
22 - 10–365
Canthigaster Canthigaster callisterna Clown Toby Reef associated
11 - 10–250
Carangidae
Pseudocaranx georgianus Silver Trevally Benthopelagic
56 27 0–200
Seriola hippos Samsonsh Pelagic
6* - 1–100
Seriola lalandi Yellowtail Kingsh Pelagic
6* 2* 0–825
Trachurus novaezelandiae Yellowtail Scad Pelagic
- 23 0–500
Chaetodondae Chelmonops truncatus Eastern Talma Reef associated
6 - 5–70
Cheilodactylidae
Cheilodactylus fuscus Red Morwong Reef associated
56 - 0–30 55
Nemadactylus douglasii Grey Morwong Reef associated
89 5 0–200
Nemadactylus macropterus Jackass Morwong Reef associated
6* - 0–450
Clupeidae Sardinops sagax Australian Sardine Pelagic
- 2 0–200
Congridae Gorgasia spp. Garden Eels So sediments
- 2 NA
Dinolesdae Dinolestes lewini Longn Pike Benthopelagic
44 - 1–65
Enoplosidae Enoplosus armatus Old Wife Reef associated
22 - 0–90
Gemplidae Thyrsites atun Barracouta Benthopelagic
- 16 0–550
Heterodondae Heterodontus portusjacksoni Port Jackson Shark Reef/oceanodromous
22 16 1–275
Labridae
Achoerodus viridis Eastern Blue Groper Reef associated
50 - 0–60
Bodianus frenchii Foxsh Reef associated
6* - 10–80
Bodianus unimaculatus Eastern Pigsh Reef associated
89 - 0–60
Coris sandeyeri Eastern King Wrasse Reef associated
6* - 0–60
Notolabrus gymnogenis Crimson Banded Wrasse Reef associated
17 - 4–40 53
Ophthalmolepis lineolata Southern Maori Wrasse Reef associated
78 - 1–60
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
26
Family Species Common Name Habitat Associaon
Reef Samples
(%)
So sediments
(%)
Depth Range
in Scienc
Literature (m)
Max Depth
Recorded
Current
Study (m)
Latrididae Latridopsis forsteri Bastard Trumpeter Reef associated
33 - 2–160
Microcanthidae Atypichthys strigatus Mado Reef associated
89 - 0–30 55
Monacanthidae
Eubalichthys bucephalus Black Reef Leatherjacket Reef associated
22 5 0–250
Eubalichthys mosaicus Mosaic Leatherjacket Reef associated
17 - 6–150
Meuschenia avolineata Yellowstriped Leatherjacket Reef associated
11 2* 1–50 52
Meuschenia freycine Sixspine Leatherjacket Reef associated
72 38 1–100
Meuschenia scaber Velvet Leatherjacket Reef associated
94 30 5–200
Meuschenia venusta Stars & stripes Leatherjacket Reef associated
6* - 5–100
Nelusea ayraudi Ocean Jacket Demersal
50 63 0–360
Mullidae Upeneichthys sp.† Goaish Demersal
39 2* 5–200
Muraenidae Gymnothorax prasinus Australian Green Moray Reef associated
6* - 0–40 46
Myliobadae Myliobas tenuicaudatus Southern Eagle Ray So seds/seagrass
6* 5 0–240
Odontaspididae Carcharias taurus Greynurse Shark Reef/oceanodromous
- 2* 0–190
#
Orectolobidae Orectolobus sp.‡ Wobbegong Reef associated
6* - 0–280
Paralichthyidae Pseudorhombus jenynsii Smalltooth Flounder So sediments
- 4 ? –150
Parascylliidae Parascyllium collare Collar Carpetshark Reef associated
6* - 20–230
Pempheridae Pempheris mulradiata Bigscale Bullseye Reef associated
6* - 2–70
Pinguipedidae Parapercis binivirgata Redbanded Grubsh Demersal
39 - 86–404 50
Platycephalidae
Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus Bluespoed Flathead So sediments
- 73 5–100
Platycephalus grandispinis Longspine Flathead So sediments - 88 3–75
Platycephalus richardsoni Tiger Flathead So sediments - 32 10–430
Plesiopidae Paraplesiops bleekeri Eastern Blue Devil Reef associated 6* - 3–30 51
Pomacentridae
Mecaenichthys immaculatus Immaculate Damsel Reef associated 56 - 0–30 55
Parma microlepis White-ear Reef associated 83 - 1–30 55
Table 1 connued: The list of species that were recorded on BRUVS samples with each species habitat associaon, percentage of reef (n=18) and sand (n=56) samples that each species was recorded on, depth range listed in the scienc
literature (depth range based on Kuiter 2000, Gomon et al. 2008, Froese and Pauly 2017, Bray 2018, McGrouther 2018) and maximum depth recorded in our study if greater than listed in the literature. Species that were recorded >10 m
deeper than in the literature are highlighted in bold.
