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Y-light sweeper (Pempheris ypsilychnus) — Pempheridae

Y-light sweeper

Pempheris ypsilychnus
Family: Pempheridae

The Y-light sweeper (Pempheris ypsilychnus) is a saltwater fish of the family Pempheridae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12.1 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–24.0 m
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Y-light sweeper is a sweeper (Pempheridae) from shallow coral-reef and rocky water around Australia and the western Pacific. The species grows to about 15 cm and has a deep, laterally compressed, copper-coloured body with large eyes and a light organ on the belly. As a nocturnal, social fish it shelters in dense schools under overhangs and in caves by day and hunts zooplankton at night. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Y-light sweeper?

The Y-light sweeper has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Y-light sweeper live?

The Y-light sweeper lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Y-light sweeper get?

The Y-light sweeper grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Y-light sweeper dangerous to humans?

No, the Y-light sweeper is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Y-lamp-matroosvis sourced
English name
Y-light sweeper sourced
Scientific name
Pempheris ypsilychnus
Family
Pempheridae
Other names
Ypsilon bullseye sourced

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.1 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
24.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Pempheris

More from the family Pempheridae

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