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Marbled Flathead Platycephalus marmoratus Stead, 1908
[CAAB 37 296038]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Inshore and continental shelf waters of Australia from off Caloundra (Queensland) to Flinders Island (Tasmania), and off Rottnest Island to Direction Bank (Western Australia). Demersal on soft bottoms at depths of 45-124 m; preferring offshore waters but juveniles do frequently enter bays and estuaries.

Size:

Maximum length at least 61 cm TL.

Food and feeding:

Presumably primarily piscivorous, also large benthic crustaceans.

Characteristics:

D I, VII or VIII, 13; A 13; C 11-13; P 19-22; V I, 5; Llat (pored) 63-70.

Body elongate, slightly depressed. Head large (length 28-30% SL), strongly depressed, with several prominent, smooth ridges; a single preocular spine present; eyes small (14-15% HL), iris lappet broad, simple; mouth large, extending to level of anterior third of eye; teeth of upper jaw small, villiform, more enlarged and canine-like near symphysis only, a single patch of canines and smaller teeth on vomer, two series (one series of large teeth with a secondary series of minute teeth outside) of teeth on palantines, no greatly enlarged canines; two strong preopercular spines at angle of preopercle, lower slightly longer than upper, accessory spine ventrally present rarely; 2 gill rakers on lower limb, 7-11 on upper limb of first gill arch rudimentary; interopecular flap absent. Scales small, finely ctenoid (some cycloid on ventral surface), covering body, most of head behind eyes and operculum, interorbit and snout naked; lateral line scales not differentiated from adjacent scales on side, 107-119 oblique rows of scales above lateral line, no scales with spines or ridges, single pored. First dorsal fin spinous with short base, first spine very short but distinct, third spines the longest. Second dorsal fin with moderately long base, second ray longest, others decreasing in length posteriorly. Anal fin similar in shape, but with shorter rays which increase in length slightly posteriorly; opposite and slightly longer-based than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin truncate or slightly rounded. Pectoral fins broad and rounded. Pelvic fins large, based below centre of pectoral fins.

Colour:

Reddish brown to yellowish brown dorsally, with 5 broad, darker cross bands (1^st at origin of dorsal, last at its termination) and a mottled pattern of pale and dark spots and blotches; whitish ventrally. Caudal fin mostly dark brown (darkest submarginally), paler basally, with a broad white posterior margin, without horizontal bars; dorsal fins translucent, brown spots on spines and rays; pectoral fins greyish with pale margins; pelvic fins darker brown with striking white margins; anal fin whitish.

Conservation Status:

None.

Other common names:

Flathead.

Original citation:

Platycephalus marmoratus Stead, 1908, New Fishes N.S.W.: 9, pls 3-5, off Port Stephens, 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.

McCulloch, A.R. (1916) Report on some fishes obtained by the F. I. S. "Endeavour" on the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South and South-Western Australia. Part IV. Biol. Results "Endeavour" 4(4): 169-199.

Stead, D.G. (1908) New fishes from New South Wales (No. 1). Department of Fisheries, New South Wales, Sydney. New Fishes N.S.W. 12 pp.