WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Gorgeous Swallowtail

Meganthias natalensis

Also known as: Anthias

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2018
Adult
@yellowfin · durban, South Africa · June 20171 / 1
01

Overview

Found in very deep waters rarely seen or caught!

Anthias are often found in large schools often in there hundreds or thousands feeding high above the reef on zooplankton.
They start their life off as females and when there is an opening for a male will change to head up their harem of females.
Males are much more colourful and often have filamentous streamers which they use for their mating dance and to deter other males.

02

How to identify

Behaviour
schooling

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Indian Ocean
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found in very deep waters rarely seen or caught!

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderPerciformes
    5. familyAnthiadidae
    6. genusMeganthias
    7. speciesMeganthias natalensis (Fowler, 1925)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Fairy Basslets-Streamer Basses (Anthiadidae)