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Southern Bluespotted Flathead Platycephalus speculator Klunzinger, 1872
[CAAB 37 296037]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Coastal waters of southeastern Australia from Cape Everard (Victoria) to Kalbarri (Western Australia), including Tasmania. Demersal on soft bottoms and weed beds in shallow coastal waters to depths of about 30 m; particularly common in shallow protected bays.

Size:

Maximum length at least 90 cm TL; maximum weight at least 8 kg.

Food and feeding:

Primarily piscivorous, also large benthic crustaceans.

Characteristics:

D VIII (rarely IX), 14 (rarely 13); A 14 C 15; P 19-21 (rarely 18); V I, 5; Llat (pored) 80-93.

Body elongate, slightly depressed. Head large (length 28-34% SL), depressed, with several low, mostly spineless ridges; eyes moderately large (16-22% HL) with broad, rounded iris lappet; mouth large with small pointed teeth on jaws, in one or two rows on vomer and in a single row on each palatine, no enlarged canines; two strong preopercular spines at angle of preopercle, lower spine slightly longer than upper; gill rakers on lower limb of first arch long and slender, 3 or 4 on lower limb, 10-12 on upper limb; interopercular flap present. Scales small, finely ctenoid, covering body and most of head behind eyes; lateral line scales slightly larger than adjacent scales on side, ~95 oblique rows of scales above lateral line, anteriormost scale with small spine or ridge. 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, only slightly shorter than longest first dorsal-fin spine. Anal fin similar in shape, opposite and slightly longer-based than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin truncate to rounded. Pectoral fins moderately small. Pelvic fins long, broad, based below centre of pectoral fins. Swim bladder absent.

Colour:

Sandy to dark brown dorsally with sparsely scattered small blue to white spots often intermingled with dark spots and blotches; no large dark blotch on underside of operculum; pale ventrally. Caudal-fin margin with 3-5 large, round, similar-sized black spots surrounded by white, remainder of fin with dusky brown blotches; pectoral and pelvic fins with faint spots.

Fisheries:

Caught in beach seines, gillnets and haul nets along the southern coast; probably the most commonly marketed flathead in Western Australia.

Conservation Status:

None.

Other common names:

Southern Flathead, Yank Flathead, Blue-spot Flathead, Castelnau's Flathead, Deepwater Flathead, Lakes Entrance Flathead, Longnose Flathead, King Flathead, Southern Dusky Flathead, Bluespotted Flathead.

Original citation:

Platycephalus speculator Klunzinger, 1872, Arch. Naturgesch. 38(1): 28, Hobson's Bay, Victoria.

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).

Gomon, M.F., Glover, J.C.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (1994) The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide, 992 pp.

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.

Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (2001) Australian Seafood Handbook: an identification guide to domestic species. FRDC / CSIRO Marine Research, 469 pp.