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Yellow assessor (Assessor flavissimus) — Plesiopidae

Yellow assessor

Assessor flavissimus
Family: Plesiopidae

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

Length
6 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5.0–20.0 m
Behaviour
Small groups
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Papua New Guinea
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The yellow assessor is a small, brightly coloured reef fish (Plesiopidae) from the western Pacific, around the Great Barrier Reef. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a deep, bright-yellow body. As a reef-dweller it lives in small groups in caves and under overhanging coral, where it often hovers upside down just below the ceiling, and picks small zooplankton. The male broods the eggs in its mouth. The fish is harmless to humans and is prized in the aquarium trade.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Yellow assessor?

The Yellow assessor has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly yellow-gold.

Where does the Yellow assessor live?

The Yellow assessor lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Papua New Guinea

How big does the Yellow assessor get?

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

Is the Yellow assessor dangerous to humans?

No, the Yellow 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 Yellow assessor edible?

Yes, the Yellow assessor is commonly eaten.

More photos

Yellow assessor (Assessor flavissimus) — Plesiopidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Heather, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Yellow assessor (Assessor flavissimus) — Plesiopidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Yellow assessor (Assessor flavissimus) — Plesiopidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — jpdandretta (CC BY 4.0)
Yellow assessor (Assessor flavissimus) — Plesiopidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) terence zahner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Yellow assessor sourced
Scientific name
Assessor flavissimus
Family
Plesiopidae
Other names
Yellow devilfish; Yellow scissortail; Yellowdevilfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
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

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