Animalia Life
Alabes parvulus
FAMILY
Gobiesocidae
TAXONOMY
Alabes parvulus McCulloch, 1909, rock pools near Sydney, New
South Wales, Australia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Elongate and eel-like body with reduced fins. Vestigial sucking
disc. Grows to 1.9 in (5 cm) in length.
DISTRIBUTION
Temperate waters of southern Australia and Norfolk Island.
HABITAT
Inhabits the intertidal zone. Found in tide pools, in brown seaweed
beds and under rocks, to a depth of 20 ft (6 m).
BEHAVIOR
Poorly known. Has been found in small groups of three to six
individuals, and social interactions may be expected to take
place regularly.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds upon small benthic invertebrates.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Largely unknown. Spawning is probably seasonal, during
warmer months, and is paired with the deposition of demersal
eggs. Larvae are probably planktonic.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
May be collected infrequently for aquaria.
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