Home · Plesiopidae · Blue assessor
Blue assessor (Assessor macneilli) — Plesiopidae

Blue assessor

Assessor macneilli
Family: Plesiopidae

The Blue assessor (Assessor macneilli) is a saltwater fish of the family Plesiopidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
6 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–20.0 m
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Want the complete picture on the Blue assessor?

Get the app

Description

The blue assessor is a small hulafish (Plesiopidae) from reef water of the western Pacific, especially the Great Barrier Reef. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a deep blue-violet body with long dorsal and anal fins. Characteristically it often hovers upside-down beneath cave roofs and overhangs on the reef and snaps at small zooplankton. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blue assessor?

The Blue assessor has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly blue.

Where does the Blue assessor live?

The Blue assessor lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea

How big does the Blue assessor get?

The Blue assessor grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Blue assessor dangerous to humans?

No, the Blue assessor is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Blue assessor edible?

Yes, the Blue assessor is commonly eaten.

More photos

Blue assessor (Assessor macneilli) — Plesiopidae — 2
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Blue assessor (Assessor macneilli) — Plesiopidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Jens Sommer-Knudsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blue assessor (Assessor macneilli) — Plesiopidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Sue Churchill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blue assessor (Assessor macneilli) — Plesiopidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Blue assessor?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Blue assessor is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Blue assessor sourced
Scientific name
Assessor macneilli
Family
Plesiopidae
Other names
Blue devilfish; Blue scissortail; Macneill's assessor; Squatter verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Blue sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
2.0 verified
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
Yes inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Assessor

More from the family Plesiopidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Blue assessor?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Blue assessor is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Blue assessor? Get the app