Pygmy Leatherjacket

Sometimes also called Southern Pygmy Leatherjacket
Scientific name: Brachaluteres jacksonianus

Has anyone ever seen a pygmy leatherjacket before? The pygmy leatherjacket are the cutest, looking little fish I have ever seen. Their cartoon characteristics, their cute little eyes, their puckered up pouting lips, their roundish little body all look as though someone has dreamed them up for a character in a Disney production. Ever since I saw a pygmy leatherjacket, they have been one of my favourite fish and I still get excited even now when I see them while diving.

Australia is the centre of diversity for Leatherjackets (Family Monacanthidae), more than half of the estimated 90 species are found here, generally in temperate waters. It�s hard to do a dive in Sydney without seeing some type of fish from the leatherjacket family. Pygmy leather jackets are quite common on shallower reef dives (0-25m) and areas with seagrass. The Pygmy Leatherjacket is distributed from Lancelin WA around to Moreton Bay QLD and also down around Tasmania.

The Pygmy Leatherjacket can grow to approximately 9cm. Like most other fish in the leatherjacket family it has a spine on top of its head. The Pygmy Leatherjacket is unusual in that it cannot lock its spine into place as most other leatherjacket species. Therefore its spine can be easily lowered back down. The colour of the Pygmy Leatherjacket varies from pale yellow-brown to dark green with small spots. Some I have seen have been a very bright green colour to an almost orange colour.

The Pygmy Leatherjacket is not a fast swimmer and anyone who has seen them while diving will notice that the fish will move off under or behind bits of seagrass or seaweed. They are quite hard to keep your eye on. At night these little fish usually sleep by attaching themselves to a bit of seaweed or sea grass. They attach themselves at the mouth, and sleep while swaying with the plant. You can usually see Pygmy Leatherjackets sleeping this way at Camp Cove on a night dive.

So next time you go for a dive take the time to look closely at the seaweed and see if you can find one of my favourite little fish, the very cute Pygmy Leatherjacket.

References
Australian Marine Life � The plants and animals of temperate waters, Graham J. Edgar, 1997, Reed Books