Small territorial fishes that live on rocky reefs in bays, harbours and along the coast in southern Australia. Although Scalyfins change colour as they grow, they never have a distinct white patch on the gill cover - unlike the White-ear (Parma microlepis). Small juveniles are bright orange with neon-blue lines, spots and a black ocellus ringed with neon-blue on the dorsal fin. Large adults are dark greyish to black, or rusty-coloured, often becoming paler below, with a dusky head, and pale spots along lateral line. Divers are very familiar with these small damselfishes, especially during the breeding season when they aggresively guard their territories
How to identify Parma victoriae?
What habitats does Parma victoriae live in?
Scalyfins inhabit sheltered and moderately exposed rocky reefs and rocky estuaries, in depths of 1-35 m. The species is common and locally abundant in some areas, and juveniles often occur in tide pools
What is the distribution of Parma victoriae?
Endemic to southern Australia, and widely distributed from about Wilsons Promontory (and possibly further east to Cape Howe), Victoria, to Jurien Bay, Western Australia, and northern Tasmania
How big does Parma victoriae grow?
Scalyfin can grow to about 20 cm in length
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