habitat_narrative
Marine
Chrysoblephus cristiceps adults are found on offshore reefs between 20 and 100 m depth (Buxton and Smale 1984, Buxton 1987), while juveniles occupy subtidal reefs from 10 to 30 m depth in the Southeastern Cape (Buxton 1987). Tagging results suggest that individuals are fairly resident although there may be some nomadic movement between reefs (Buxton and Allen 1989, Buxton and Smale 1989, Griffiths and Wilke 2002, ORI Tagging Project unpublished data). This species is a benthic carnivore feeding on a wide variety of reef-associated invertebrates (Buxton 1987). The maximum length recorded for this species is 70 cm TL (van der Elst 1993) and it has a maximum age of 22 years (Buxton 1993). Growth parameters of this species in the Southeastern Cape were estimated at L∞ = 654.7 mm FL, K = 0.081 and t0 = -2.35 (Buxton 1993).
ReproductionChrysoblephus cristiceps is a protogynous hermaphrodite (Buxton 1989), with sex change occurring at approximately 43.5 cm FL (Buxton 1990). Size at 50% maturity occurs at between 27.5 cm and 36.5 cm FL for females and age at 50% maturity is 7.7 years for females and 11 years for males (mean age at sex change). Chrysoblephus cristiceps is a reef spawning species with a spawning season between October and January (Buxton 1990).
Generation length for C. cristiceps is estimated to be 11 years, using the following equation for a protogynous fish species: Generation length =SR* (Σxlxmx/Σlxmx)+(Σlxmx/Σlxmx)
