Kopua are a genus of clingfishes belonging to the family Gobiesocidae. Fish belonging to this genus are found in the Pacific Ocean, around New Zealand, Australia, and the East China Sea. The genus got its name “Kopua” from the Maori language; the name literally means “deep water”. There are currently four known species of the genus: Kopua numinata found in the northern waters of New Zealand, Kopua kuiteri found in southern Australian waters, Kopua japonica found in the East China Sea, and Kopua vermiculata found in the Sagami-nada Sea. The presence of Kopua in the Northern Hemisphere shows evidence of anti tropicality of fish within the family Gobiesocidae. All species are found in waters deeper than 90m, ranging from 90m–408m in depth. The genus was discovered through a trawling net of the ocean floor. Not much is known about the genus’ habitat, except for the depth that the fish generally seem to reside, or the diet and behavior of the fish.
