About Neatypus obliquus Waite, 1905
The western footballer (Neatypus obliquus), also called the footballer sweep, is a species of ray-finned fish. This species is the only known member of the monotypic genus Neatypus. It is endemic to the southern reefs of Australia, and can be found at depths down to 30 m (100 ft). Its geographic range extends from Shark Bay to Flinders Island, South Australia, where it lives in large, active schools near inshore and offshore reefs along the southern Australian coast. This fish has a compressed, silvery-blue body marked with orange to yellow diagonal stripes that are bordered by brownish black. Its fins are yellow-orange in shade, matching the color of the stripes. It reaches a maximum total length of 22 cm (8.7 in). Its diet consists of benthic invertebrates and zooplankton. Other species in its family are called footballers because their striped patterns resemble the striped jumpers worn by football players. Neatypus obliquus is also available in the aquarium trade.
