Pempheris schomburgkii
Glassy Sweeper
Maximum Size:
6 in (15 cm)
Longevity:
Unknown
Typical depth:
10–100 ft (3–30 m)
Behavior:
The nocturnal glassy sweeper is a small fish that feeds on zooplankton and small crustaceans in the water column above the reef. During the day, glassy sweepers shelter in groups, inside reef crevices and caves. Adults are red/copper in color, whereas juveniles are nearly transparent, which is likely the origin of their name.
Predators:
Rays and grouper.
Did you know?
This species was given the scientific name schomburgkii, after the German surveyor, traveler and Royal Geographical Society explorer, Robert Hermann Schomburgk, who discovered the fish and documented it in his book The History of Barbados in 1848.
