Footballer Sweep

Neatypus obliquus

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth4–55 m
Water temperature20–22 °C
Best monthsJanuary, March, and April
How commonCommon

Photo credit: (c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

About this species

The western footballer, also known as the footballer sweep, is a species of ray-finned fish endemic to southern reefs of Australia, where it can be found down to 30 m (100 ft). It can also be found in the aquarium trade. This species is currently the only known member of its genus.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Western footballer”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 40 records
February: 26 records
March: 46 records
April: 39 records
May: 20 records
June: 11 records
July: 10 records
August: 12 records
September: 14 records
October: 9 records
November: 24 records
December: 31 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 4–55 m · Deepest record: 186 m

0–10 m: 7 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 2 records
30–40 m: 6 records
40–50 m: 2 records
50–60 m: 1 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 20–22 °C

18–20 °C: 3 records
20–22 °C: 4 records
22–24 °C: 2 records

Photos

(c) Belinda Forbes, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Christopher Mark, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Belinda Forbes, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Christopher Mark, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Footballer Sweep, Western Footballer

Similar species

Australian Mado
Atypichthys strigatus
East-Australian Stripey
Microcanthus joyceae
Convict fish
Microcanthus strigatus
Mado
Atypichthys latus

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
401 open-data records from 1958 to 2023.
Species data updated November 4, 2026.

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