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Bigspine Flathead Suggrundus macracanthus (Bleeker, 1869)
[CAAB 37 296012]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

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Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Continental shelf of northern Australia, from North West Shelf, Western Australia to off Yeppoon, Queensland. Recorded internationally from southern India and Sri Lanka to Malaysia, Gulf of Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan Province of China, Indonesia and Philippines. Demersal in bays and coastal waters to depths of 130 m.

Size:

Maximum length about 26cm TL, commonly to 18 cm TL.

Characteristics:

D IX or I, VIII, 11 or 12 (usually 12); A 12 or 13 (usually 12); C 15; P 20-23 (usually 21 or 22); V I, 5; Llat (pored) 50-55 (usually 52 or 53).

Body elongate, depressed. Head large (length ~37% SL), moderately depressed; supraorbital ridge smooth over anterior third of eye, with stout spines posteriorly; suborbital ridge with 4-6 strong spines; eye moderately large (~18% HL); ocular flap absent; teeth in vomer in two parallel longitudinal bands, teeth small and sharp; 3 preopercular spines, upper long and strong, bayonet-like, reaching to, or past, opercular margin, with an accessory spine on base; elongated interopercular flap present; gill rakers on first arch 7-9 (usually 8). Scales finely ctenoid dorsally, cycloid ventrally, covering body and most of head behind eyes; lateral line scales slightly smaller than adjacent scales on side; oblique scale rows slanting downward above lateral line about equal to number of lateral-line scales. Lateral-line scales 50-55 (usually 52 or 53), anterior 13 to 33 scales bearing a small spine or ridge. First dorsal fin spinous with short base, first spine very short, attached to second spine by low integument, following spines much longer. Second dorsal fin with moderately long base, anterior rays longest, nearly as long as longest first dorsal spines. Anal fin similar in shape, opposite and slightly longer-based than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin rounded. Pectoral fins moderately small. Pelvic fins long, reaching to anal fin origin.

Colour:

Brown above with faint darker bands across back, head with orange flecks; whitish below. Caudal fin with blond patch on central 1/3 extending for the length of the fin, upper and lower thirds whitish; pectoral fin greyish below, with dark spots above; pelvic fin greyish.

Fisheries:

Taken in trawls over soft bottoms.

Conservation Status:

None.

Other common names:

Largespined Flathead, Large-spined Flathead.

Original citation:

Platycephalus macracanthus Bleeker, 1869, Versl. Akad. Amsterdam 2(3): Ambon I., Moluccas Is., Indonesia.

References:

Beaufort, L.F., De & Briggs, J.C. (1962) The Fishes of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. XI. Brill, Leiden. 481 pp.

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 (10 March, 2008).

Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. & Kailola, P.J. (1984) Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwestern Australia. Canberra: Australian Development Assistance Bureau, 406 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.

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.

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.C. (1985) Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra, C.S.I.R.O. Division of Fisheries Research, 375 pp.