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Longspine Flathead Platycephalus longispinis Macleay, 1884
[CAAB 37 296036]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Inshore and continental shelf waters of Australia from Fraser Island (Queensland) to Lakes Entrance (Victoria), off western South Australia to Carnarvon (Western Australia). Demersal on soft bottoms at depths of 12-104 m; preferring offshore waters.

Size:

Maximum length at least 34 cm TL.

Food and feeding:

Presumably primarily piscivorous, also large benthic crustaceans.

Characteristics:

D I, VII, 13 or 14; A 14; P 19 or 20; V I, 5; Llat (pored) 70-82.

Body elongate, slightly depressed. Head large (length 31-32% SL), moderately depressed, with several prominent, mostly spineless ridges; eyes large (19-20% HL) with long iris lappet; mouth moderately large, extending to about level of anterior margin of eye; teeth small, villiform, two small patches of villiform teeth on vomer, no greatly enlarged canines; two strong preopercular spines at angle of preopercle, lower greatly enlarged, acute and grooved basally, more than 3 times length of upper; 5-7 gill rakers on lower limb, 14-19 on upper limb of first gill arch; interopecular flap absent. Scales small, finely ctenoid, covering body and most of head behind eyes; lateral line scales subequal in size to adjacent scales on side, two anteriormost scales with small spine or ridge. First dorsal fin spinous with short base, first spine very short, detached, following spines much longer, last spine in front of second dorsal fin minute. Second dorsal fin with moderately long base, anterior ray longest, unbranched. Anal fin similar in shape, opposite and slightly longer-based than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin truncate. Pectoral fins short and shallowly rounded. Pelvic fins long, based below centre of pectoral fins, reaching anal-fin origin.

Colour:

Yellowish grey to brown dorsally, with numerous yellow spots, no cross bands; whitish ventrally. Caudal-fin upper half yellow, blackish lower half, no discrete dark blotches along posterior margin; dorsal and pectoral fins with brown spots on the spines and rays; anal fin whitish.

Conservation Status:

None.

Other common names:

Long-spined Flathead, Long-spine Flathead, Spiky Flathead, Western Sand Flathead.

Original citation:

Platycephalus longispinus Macleay, 1884, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 9(1): 170, off Port Jackson, New South Wales.

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.

Hutchins, B. & Swainston, R. (1986) Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Swainston Publishing, Perth. 179 pp.

Imamura, H. (2006) Rediagnosis of the marbled flathead, Platycephalus marmoratus (Actinopterygii: Teleostei: Platycephalidae), with comments on the composition of the type series. Species Diversity 11: 295-306.

Macleay, W. (1884) Notices of new fishes. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 9(1): 170-172.