Blue sea chub
Kyphosus cinerascens
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Blue sea chub
- Scientific
- Kyphosus cinerascens
- Dhivehi
- ކިރުޅިޔަ މަސްKirulhiya mas
- Group
- Reef fish
- Family
- Kyphosidae (sea chubs)
- Maximum size
- Up to about 53 cm (fork length); commonly 45 cm; max. published weight 3.6 kg (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives max. 45 cm
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 0 to 45 m
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2014
Description
An oval, dark grey sea chub, paler below, with fine dark lengthwise lines, a silvery band below the eye and a high soft dorsal fin. It swims in groups high in the water over surf-swept reef flats and outer reefs by day, grazing seaweed, and feeds alone near the bottom at night. Eating it has sometimes been linked to hallucinogenic fish poisoning.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi name kirulhiya mas (MRS 1997). MRS notes it is very like the brassy chub and is told apart by fin counts and the height of the soft dorsal fin.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Kyphosus-cinerascens.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ކިރުޅިޔަ_މަސް
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Chopas_grisáceas_(Kyphosus_cinerascens),_parque_nacional_Ra
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Kirulhiya mas' (Latin form). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ކިރުޅިޔަ މަސް' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form. FishBase also lists 'Kiruliamas' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used.