Skip to content

Smallknob Flathead Thysanophrys papillaris Imamura & Knapp, 1999
[CAAB 37 296053]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Continental shelf of northern Australia from northeastern Western Australia to the north coast of the Northern Territory, also recorded from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean. Demersal in depths of 64-98 m.

Size:

Maximum length at least 12 cm.

Food and feeding:

Unknown.

Characteristics:

D I,VI, or I,VIII, 11; A 12; P 19-20; V I, 5; Llat 51-54.

Body elongate, depressed. Head large (length 36-40% SL), depressed; a single, stout preocular spine; supraorbital ridge finely serrated over eye; suborbital ridge with 5 spines; least interorbital width 22.1-27.2 in HL; a single small papilla on dorsal surface of eye; villiform teeth in bands on jaws and palatine, in two separate patches on vomer; preopercular spines 3, upper longest, not reaching posterior margin of opercle, bearing a supplementary spine; interopercular flap truncuate, not extended anteroventrally, without lobes; gill rakers on first gill arch 1 + 4-6 (rarely 6), oblique scale rows slanting downward and forward above lateral line about equal to number of lateral-line scales; lateral-line scales 51-54, anterior 2-3 lateral-line scales bearing a small spine. First dorsal fin spinous with short base, first spine very short, following spines much longer. Second dorsal fin with moderately long base, anterior rays longest, about as long as longest first dorsal spines. Pectoral fins moderately elongated.

Colour:

In preservative: Head and body light brown. A dark brown band over interorbit and both eyes. Saddle-like, discontinuous dark brown band crossing back at first dorsal fin. Small dark brown blotches below anterior and middle of second dorsal fin, and on caudal peduncle. First dorsal fin with a broad blackish band on distal half. Caudal fin with three blackish bands; pectoral and pelvic fins with brown spots forming irregular bands; pectoral fin with a blackish line between anterior portions of rays 8 and 9.

Fisheries:

May be caught incidentally in trawls.

Conservation Status:

None.

Other common names:

None.

Original citation:

Thysanophrys papillaris, Imamura & Knapp, 1999, Ichth. Res. 46(2): Southwest of Flat Top Bank, Timor Sea, Western 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 (10 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.

Imamura, H. & L.W. Knapp. 1999. Thysanophrys papillaris, a new species of flathead from the Andaman Sea and northern Australia (Scorpaeniformes: Platycephalidae). Ichth. Res. 46(2): 179-183.