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{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = PlageogenRubingin1AMS.jpg
| image_caption = specimen from Sydney Fish Market
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name = iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Al Abdali, F.S.H. |author2=Al Buwaiqi, B. |author3=Al Kindi, A.S.M. |author4=Ambuali, A. |author5=Borsa, P. |author6=Carpenter, K.E. |author7=Govender, A. |author8=Russell, B. |display-authors=3 |year=2019 |title=Plagiogeneion rubiginosum |page=e.T123426979A123494667 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T123426979A123494667.en |access-date=13 April 2023}}</ref>
| taxon = Plagiogeneion rubiginosum
| authority = ([[Frederick Hutton (scientist)|F. W. Hutton]], 1875)
| synonyms =
* ''Therapon rubiginosus'' <small>F. W. Hutton, 1875</small>
}}
The '''rubyfish''' ('''''Plagiogeneion rubiginosum'''''), also known as the '''cosmopolitan rubyfish''', '''red ruby''' or '''ruby rover''', is a species of marine [[ray-finned fish]], belonging to the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Emmelichthyidae]], the rovers, bonnetmouths and rubyfishes. This species is found from the southeastern [[Atlantic Ocean]] off [[South Africa]] through the [[Indian Ocean]] to the southwestern [[Pacific Ocean]] around [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]. This species is [[commercial fisheries|commercially]] important.

==Taxonomy==
The rubyfish was first formally [[Species description|described]] in 1875 as ''Therapon rubiginosus'' by the English-born New Zealand [[geologist]] and [[biologist]] [[Frederick Hutton (scientist)|Frederick Hutton]] with its type locality given as the coast of [[Otago]] in New Zealand.<ref name = CofF>{{Cof genus|genus=Plagiogeneion|access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref> In 1890 [[Henry Ogg Forbes]] reclassified ''T. rubiginosus'' in a new [[monospecific genus]] ''[[Plagiogeneion]]'' making this species the [[type species]] of that genus.<ref name = CofF2>{{Cof family|family=Emmelichthyidae|access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref> ''Plagiogeneion'' is classified withion the family Emmelichthyidae in the [[Order (biology)|order]] [[Acanthuriformes]].<ref name = Nelson5>{{cite book |title=Fishes of the World |edition=5th |author1=J. S. Nelson |author2=T. C. Grande |author3=M. V. H. Wilson |year=2016 |pages=497–502 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-1-118-34233-6 |url=https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/ |archive-date=2019-04-08 |access-date=2023-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408194051/https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Etymology==
The [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]] ''rubiginosum'' means "rusty" and refers to the overall reddish colour of this fish.<ref name = ETYFish>{{cite web | url = https://etyfish.org/eupercaria/ | title = Series Eupercaria (Incertae sedis): Families Callanthidae, Centrogenyidae, Dinopercidae, Emmelichthyidae, Malacanthidae, Monodactylidae, Moronidae, Parascorpididae, Sciaenidae and Sillagidae | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | editor1 = Christopher Scharpf | editor2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp | date = 9 March 2023 | access-date = 12 April 2023 | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara | archive-date = 17 February 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220217162719/https://etyfish.org/eupercaria/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> As Forbes's generic name ''Plagiogeneion'' is neuter the ending of Hutton's specific name had to be altered to ''-um''.<ref name = Parin>{{cite journal | author = N. V. Parin | year = 1991 | title = Three new species of the bentho-pelagic fish genus ''Plagiogeneion'' from the southern Pacific and Indian oceans (Teleostei: Emmelichthyidae) | journal = Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington | volume = 104 | issue = 3 | pages = 459–467 | url = https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34809157#page/487/mode/1up}}</ref>

==Description==
The rubyfish has a moderately elongated body with a single continuous [[dorsal fin]] and a strongly forked [[caudal fin]], with a highly protrusible mouth.<ref name = AM>{{cite web | url = https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/cosmopolitan-rubyfish-plagiogeneion-rubiginosum/ | title = Cosmopolitan Rubyfish, ''Plagiogeneion rubiginosum'' (Hutton, 1875) | author = Mark McGrouther | date = 22 February 2021 | access-date = 14 April 2023 | publisher = Australian Museum}}</ref> The dorsal fin is supported by 12 or 13 spines and 10 or 11 soft rays while the [[anal fin]] has 3 spines and 10 soft rays. The body has a depth of between 27% and 34% of the [[standard length]].<ref name = FofA>{{cite web | author = Bray, D.J. | year = 2020 | title = ''Plagiogeneion rubiginosum'' | work = Fishes of Australia | access-date = 14 April 2023 | url = https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/444 | publisher = Museums Victoria}}</ref> The head and upper body are red with a silvery lower body<ref name = Heemstra2022>{{cite book | author = [[Phil Heemstra|Philip C. Heemstra]] | year = 2022 | chapter = Family Emmelichthyidae, Rovers | pages = 25–28 | title = Coastal fishes of the western Indian Ocean. Volume 4 | editor1 = P.C. Heemstra | editor2 = Elaine Heemstra | editor3 = David A Ebert | editor4 = Wouter Holleman | editor5 = [[John Ernest Randall|John E. Randall]] | display-editors = 1 | publisher = South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity | isbn = 978-1-990951-31-2 | url = https://www.saiab.ac.za/uploads/files/1._wiof_volume_4_text.pdf | archive-date = 2023-03-20 | access-date = 2023-04-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230320181619/https://www.saiab.ac.za/uploads/files/1._wiof_volume_4_text.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref> and blackish tips to the caudal fin. This species reaches a maximum published [[total length]] of {{cvt|60|cm}}.<ref name = Fishbase>{{FishBase |Plagiogeneion|rubiginosum|month=February|year=2023}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==
The rubyfish is found in the southeastern Atlantic over the [[Vema Seamount]] to the west of [[Cape Town]], and [[Walvis Bay]] in Namibia. In the Indian Ocean it is found off [[Algoa Bay]] in the [[Eastern Cape]], around [[Île Saint-Paul]] and [[Île Amsterdam]] and east to southern Australia and New Zealand.<ref name = Fishbase/> In Australia its range extends from West of [[Bunbury, Western Australia]], along the tempareate southern coast to [[Cape Byron]], [[New South Wales]], including [[Tasmania]].<ref name = FofA/> It is a [[bathydemersal]] fish found at depths of from {{cvt|50|to|600|m}}, near sand or mud bottoms, typically in the vicinity of the edge of the [[continental shelf]] and around [[seamount]]s. The juveniles are [[epipelagic]] and as they mature the descend into deeper waters.<ref name = FofA/>

==Biology==
The rubyfish [[Spawn (biology)|spawn]]s in late spring up to early summer. It is a long lived species which has been estimated to reach 85 years of age.<ref name = Macmillan>{{cite book | author1 = McMillan, P.J. | author2 = Francis, M.P. | author3 = James, G.D. | author4 = Paul, L.J. | author5 = Marriott, P.J. | author6 =Mackay, E. | author7 = Wood, B.A. | author8 = Griggs, L.H. | author9 = Sui, H. | author10 = Wei, F. | display-authors = 3 | year = 2011 | title = New Zealand fishes. Volume 1: A field guide to common species caught by bottom and midwater fishing | series = New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report | volume = 68 | issn = 1176-9440 | publisher = Ministry of Fisheries, Wellington | page = 227}}</ref> The adults prey on larger [[zooplankton]] caught near the bottom.<ref name = FofA/>

==Fisheries==
Rubyfish is an important species for major fisheries in New Zealand and the South Pacific. In some area, this species is fished for over deep sea seamounts.<ref name = iucn/> The catch is sold fresh or as frozen fish and it is reputed to be highly palatable.<ref name = Fishbase/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, ''Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand'', (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) {{ISBN|0-00-216987-8}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2449394}}

[[Category:Plagiogeneion|Rubyfish]]
[[Category:Fish described in 1875]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Frederick Hutton (scientist)]]

Rubyfish - Revision history

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