Bigscale Bullseye

The bigscale bullseye is a big-eyed reef fish that hides in caves and under ledges by day, then comes out to hunt after dark. It is the most common member of its family found off southern Australia.

Also known as: large-scaled bullseye, common bullseye, big-scaled bullseye

It looks much like other schooling sweepers on the same reefs, but its scales are noticeably larger and looser than those of related species, giving it a coarser-looking body.

This fish has a deep, flattened body that tapers sharply toward the tail, a large eye, and a wide, angled mouth. Its scales are unusually large and sit loosely on the skin. Adults are pale to dark purplish-brown, often silvery on the belly, with 8 to 10 darker stripes running along the flanks and dark-coloured fins. Young fish look different: mostly see-through with a bronze or yellow tinge, a black-edged dorsal fin, a black-tipped anal fin, and yellow pelvic fins with black tips.

It lives on rocky reefs off southern Australia, from Western Australia around Tasmania to New South Wales, usually on shallower reefs rather than deep water. By day it schools below ledges and inside caves, then spreads out into open water at night to feed on small drifting invertebrates.

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  Blacktip Bullseye

  Pempheris affinis

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  Crescent-tail Bigeye

  Priacanthus hamrur

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  Short Bigeye

  Pristigenys alta

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  Vanikoro Sweeper

  Pempheris vanicolensis