Longhead flathead

Last updated

Longhead flathead
LeviprorInopsRLS.jpg
A well-camouflaged longhead flathead (Levipora inops) at Albany, Western Australia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Platycephalidae
Genus: Leviprora
Species:
L. inops
Binomial name
Leviprora inops
(Jenyns, 1840)
Synonyms [2]
  • Platycephalus inopsJenyns, 1840
  • Platycephalus haackei Steindachner, 1883

The longhead flathead (Leviprora inops), also known as the crocodile flathead or weed flathead, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is endemic to reefs in the coastal waters of southern Australia.

Contents

Taxonomy

The longhead flathead was first formally described in 1840 as Platycephalus inops by the English naturalist Leonard Jenyns with the type locality given as King George Sound in Western Australia. [3] In 1931 by the Australian ichthyologist Gilbert Percy Whitley designated it as the type species of the new monotypic genus Leviprora. [4] The genus was widely considered to be monotypic until Leviprora semermis was recognised as a valid species in 2020. [5] The specific name inops means "poor", "weak" or "helpless", Jenyns did not explain why he chose this name but it may be a reference to the smooth head, which he described "with hardly anything deserving the name of spines, excepting only a small flat spine terminating the opercle, and a minute but sharp one on the upper ridge of the scapula," and/or "very short and inconspicuous" spines on the preoperculum. [6]

Description

The longhead flathead has a elongated, slightly flattened body with a very long head, the length of the head being two-fifths of its standard length. The head is highly flattened and comparatively smooth with very few low, bony ridges and large eyes which have a long, fringed lappet on the iris. The mouth is large with a wide band of small teeth on each of the jaws and two distinct patches of vomerine teeth. There are two very small spines on the angle of the preoperculum. The short based first dorsal fin contains 8 or 9 spines with the first spine being separate and very short. The second dorsal fin is long based and contains 12 soft rays. The anal fin is opposite the second dorsal fin and is similar in shape with between 11 and 13 soft rays. The maximum recorded length is 61 cm (24 in) ans maximum weight is no less than 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). The upper body is sandy to pinkish marked with irregularly shaped spots and blotches, paler on the lower body. The fins are marked with vague lines of dark and light spots and there is a diagonal brown band on the upper part of the first dorsal fin. [7]

Distribution and habitat

The long head flathead is endemic to southwestern Australia where it occurs from Kangaroo Island and Gulf St Vincent in South Australia west to the Swan River in Western Australia. This species lives in shallow coastal waters, particularly on rocky reefs covered in dense vegetation while the juveniles are frequently observed buried in sand in seagrass beds. It is found at depths down to 20 m (66 ft). [7]

Biology

The longhead flathead preys largely on fish but will also take large benthic crustaceans. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Platycephalus</i> Genus of fishes

Platycephalus is a genus of mostly marine, demersal ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae. They are found in the eastern Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tentacled flathead</span> Species of fish

The tentacled flathead, also known as the Indian Ocean crocodilefish, Madagascar flathead or longhead flathead, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is in the western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, having invaded as a Lessepsian migrant through the Suez Canal. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Papilloculiceps.

<i>Platycephalus speculator</i> Species of fish

Platycephalus speculator, the southern bluespotted flathead, Castelnau's flathead, deepwater flathead, king flathead, Lakes Entrance flathead, longnose flathead, shovelnose flathead, Southern dusky flathead, Southern flathead or yank flathead, is a common species of flathead. This species is endemic to southern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mud flathead</span> Species of fish

The mud flathead is a species of flathead endemic to the Pacific coastal waters of Australia where it occurs at depths of from 15 to 53 metres on the continental shelf. This species is the only known member of its genus.

<i>Cociella</i> Genus of fishes

Cociella is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwarf flathead</span> Species of fish

The dwarf flathead is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found in the Indo-Pacific. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Elates.

<i>Grammoplites</i> Genus of fishes

Grammoplites is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific region.

The spiny flathead, also known as the whitefin flathead or Bengal flathead, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found in the Indo-West Pacific region. This species is the only known member of its genus.

<i>Leviprora</i> Genus of fishes

Leviprora is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. These fishes are endemic to the waters of southwestern Australia.

Ratabulus is a genus of marine, demersal ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae. These fishes are native to the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Rogadius</i> Genus of fishes

Rogadius is a genus of marine, demersal ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae. These fishes are native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Insidiator</i> Genus of fishes

Insidiator is a genus of marine, demersal ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae. These fishes are native to the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crocodile flathead</span> Species of fish

The crocodile flathead is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brownmargin flathead</span> Species of fish

The brownmargin flathead is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found off northern Australia.

Cociella martingomoni is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found in the Andaman Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted flathead</span> Species of fish

The spotted flathead is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found in the Indo-Pacific.

Inegocia japonica, the Japanese flathead, rusty flathead or smooth flathead, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found in the Indo-West Pacific region.

The semi-armed flathead is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is endemic to the coastal waters of southern Australia. It was confirmed as a valid species in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halfspined flathead</span> Species of fish

The halfspined flathead is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is found in the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuberculated flathead</span> Species of fish

The tuberculated flathead is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is found in Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.

References

  1. ↑ Knapp, L.W. & Baker, J. (2017) [errata version of 2010 assessment]. "Leviprora inops". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T154913A115251777. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T154913A4665999.en . Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Leviprora inops". FishBase . February 2022 version.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Leviprora". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Platycephalidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  5. ↑ Imamura, H. and G. I. Moore (2020). "Taxonomic revision of the flathead genus Leviprora Whitley 1931, with recognition of Leviprora semermis (De Vis 1883) as a valid species (family Platycephalidae)" . Ichthyological Research. 67 (2): 275–286. Bibcode:2020IchtR..67..275I. doi:10.1007/s10228-019-00723-8. S2CID   213809319.
  6. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (7 December 2021). "Order Perciformes (Part 11): Suborder Platycephaloidei: Families Bembridae, Parabembridae, Hoplichthyidae, Platycephalidae and Plectrogeniidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research & Bray, D.J. (2020). "Leviprora inops". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.