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Brownmargin Flathead Cociella hutchinsi Knapp, 1996
[CAAB 37 296018]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Only known from the continental shelf off northern Australia in the Arafura and Timor Seas. Demersal on soft bottoms in depths of 39-113 m.

Size:

Maximum length at least 30 cm.

Food and feeding:

Presumably primarily piscivorous.

Characteristics:

D I, VII or I, VIII (usually I, VIII), 11 or 12 (usually 11); A 11; P 20-23; V I, 5; C 11 or 12; Llat (pored) 51-55.
Body elongate, moderately depressed. Head large (length 35-39% SL), moderately depressed, lower edge bicarinate; eyes large (about 21% HL), iris lappet simple, semicircular; mouth large, rear edge reaching behind front edge of eye; teeth on vomer in two separate patches, jaw teeth not depressible; usually two preopercular spines (a weak third one occasionally present), upper spine long, nearly reaching rear margin of opercle; preorbital spine slight, often absent; supraorbital ridge usually smooth anteriorly, with 7-10 small spines posteriorly; suborbital ridge with two spines below eye and 3 or 4 spines behind eye; interopercular flap absent; 6 or 7 (usually 6) gill rakers on first gill arch rudimentary. Scales small, finely ctenoid, covering body and most of head behind eyes; lateral line scales subequal to adjacent scales on side, ~59-68 oblique rows of scales above lateral line, anterior 2-8 with weak spines, pores with a single opening. First dorsal fin spinous with short base, first spine very short, detached, following spines much longer. Second dorsal fin with moderately long base, anterior rays longest, slightly shorter than longest first dorsal spines. Anal fin opposite and slightly longer-based than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin rear margin truncate dorsally, rounded ventrally. Pectoral fins moderate sized, posterior margin convex. Pelvic fins long, based below centre of pectoral fins, not reaching to anal-fin origin.

Colour:

Brownish or tannish dorsally; whitish ventrally with brown specks heavily stippled posteriorly, sparse over breast. First dorsal fin dusky, with a broad submarginal brown band; second dorsal fin pale, with small brown spots on rays; anal fin white; pectoral fins dusky brown, with well-devloped submarginal dark band; caudal fin dusky, typically with a row of dark streaks forming a submarginal dark band.

Fisheries:

Taken only by trawlers within its known range.

Other common names:

Brownmargined Flathead, Brown-margined Flathead.

Original citation:

Cociella hutchinsi Knapp, 1996, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 109(1): 30, fig. 9, Arafura Sea, Australia.

References:

Eschmeyer, W.N. (2008) The Catalogue of Fishes on-line. (California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco) Available from: http://www.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp (15 March, 2008).

Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. (2006) Fishes. In: P.L. Beesley & A. Wells (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia Volume 35. Parts 1-3. Australian Biological Resources Study and CSIRO Publishing, 2248 pp.

Knapp, L.W. (1996) Review of the genus Cociella Whitley (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) with the description of three new species. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 109(1): 17-33.

Knapp, L.W. (1999) Family Platycephalidae, flatheads, pp. 2385-2421. In: K.E. Carpenter & V.H. Niem (eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4: Bony Fishes Part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.