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Bulleye

Cookeolus japonicus

Fish · family Priacanthidae · order Perciformes

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Bulleye
Photo: Pocho, CC BY-SA 2.1 jp, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
Native in
1 state[2]
Longest recorded life
9 years[3]

The bulleye (Cookeolus japonicus) is a fish in the family Priacanthidae[4]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe records it as native in South Carolina[1][2].

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[5]. USFWS data do not list the bulleye as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe gives it a state rank of SU in South Carolina[6].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[5] Least concern

Where Bulleye lives

NatureServe lists the bulleye as native in 1 US state or territory, which is South Carolina[2]. People have reported it on GBIF in other states too, including Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Hawaii and Florida[7]. These counts follow how much people look and report, not how many fish live there[7].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SUSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[6].
Show state ranks (1 states)
StateRankMeaning
South CarolinaSUUnrankable

Lifespan

The bulleye belongs to the order Perciformes[4]. The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 9 years in the wild[3]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 9 years (wild)

When to look for it

GBIF records of the bulleye in the United States are highest in August, September and October[8]. These records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].

January: 2 recordsJanFebruary: 10 recordsFebMarch: 2 recordsMarApril: 1 recordsAprMay: 2 recordsMayJune: 0 recordsJunJuly: 5 recordsJulAugust: 11 recordsAugSeptember: 43 recordsSepOctober: 14 recordsOctNovember: 1 recordsNovDecember: 1 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January2
February10
March2
April1
May2
June0
July5
August11
September43
October14
November1
December1

Where to see it

States with the most GBIF observation records: Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Hawaii, Florida[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the bulleye endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. The IUCN category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[5].
Where does the bulleye live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in South Carolina[2]. GBIF reports come from several states, including Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Hawaii and Florida[7].
How long does a bulleye live?
The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 9 years in the wild[3]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].
When are bulleyes reported most?
GBIF records peak in August, September and October[8]. They show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].

Facts and sources

  1. Bulleye is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe lists Bulleye as native in 1 US state or territory: South Carolina. NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 9 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Bulleye (Cookeolus japonicus) is a fish in the family Priacanthidae, order Perciformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe state ranks for Bulleye (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  7. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Bulleye: Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Hawaii, Florida. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  8. GBIF observation records of Bulleye in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Pocho, CC BY-SA 2.1 jp, via Wikimedia Commons.