Tentacled flathead

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Tentacled flathead
Pez cocodrilo (Papilloculiceps longiceps), parque nacional Ras Muhammad, Egipto, 2022-03-27, DD 71.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Platycephalidae
Genus: Papilloculiceps
Fowler & Steinitz, 1956
Species:
P. longiceps
Binomial name
Papilloculiceps longiceps
(G. Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms [2]
  • Platycephalus longicepsCuvier, 1829
  • Platycephalus tentaculatus Rüppell, 1838
  • Rogadius tentaculatus(Rüppell, 1838)
  • Platycephalus grandidieri Sauvage, 1873
  • Papilloculiceps grandidieri(Sauvage, 1873)
  • Platycephalus papilloculusFowler, 1935

The tentacled flathead (Papilloculiceps longiceps), 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

The tentacled flathead was first formally described as Platycephalus longiceps by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier in 1829 from specimens collected by Ehrenberg at Massawa in Eritrea. [3] In 1873 the French zoologist Henri Émile Sauvage described a new species Platycephalus grandidieri from Madagascar and in 1956 the American zoologist Henry Weed Fowler and the Israeli ichthyologist Heinz Steinitz proposed a new monotypic genus, Papilloculiceps, with Sauvage's Platycephalus grandidieri as its type species. [4] P. grandidieri is now considered to be a junior synonym of Cuvier's P. longiceps. [3] This genus is classified within the family Playtcephalidae, the flatheads which the 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies within the suborder Platycephaloidei in the order Scorpaeniformes. [5]

Etymology

The genus name Papilloculicepsis a combination of papilla, meaning "nipple", and oculus, which means "eye", a reference to the small and inconspicuous flattened papilla on the upper surface of the eyeball this species with ceps, which means "head" suffixed The specific name means "long head" and may refer to the head of this fish being similar to that of a crocodile's. [6]

Description

The tentacled flathead has an elongate body with a depressed head with 5 prominent nuchal spines. The ridges on the preoperculum and operculum are smaller dorsally than they are ventrally. There is a spine on the rear of the suborbital ridge which ends with a small spine. There are small spines on the preoperculum. The supraorbital is smooth with a tiny terminal spine, there is one preocular and two parietal spines. The eyes have notable papillae on their upper surfaces. [7] The first dorsal fin has 9 spines and the second dorsal fin and the anal fin each have 11 soft rays. The maximum published total length for this species is 70 cm (28 in), although 50 cm (20 in) is more typical. The body is mottled brownish or greenish dorsally, whitish ventrally. There are 3 or 4 dark bands on the caudal fin and the other fins are marked with large, dark blotches. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The tentacled flathead is found in the western Indian Ocean from northern KwaZulu-Natal and Madagascar to the northern Red Sea. [1] It has been recorded once in 1986 in the Mediterranean Sea off Israel. [8] [7] This species occurs near coral reefs on sand or rubble substrates at depths between 1 and 15 m (3 ft 3 in and 49 ft 3 in). [2]

Biology

The tentacled flathead is a well camouflaged, ambush predator of fish and crustaceans. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Platycephalidae</span> Family of fishes

The Platycephalidae are a family of marine fish, most commonly referred to as flatheads. They are relatives of the popular lionfish, belonging to the order Scorpaeniformes.

<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">Bartail flathead</span> Species of fish

The bartail flathead, also known as the Indian flathead, gobi or Indo-Pacific flathead, is a species of largely marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is found in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific Ocean, and has invaded the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

<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.

<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.

<i>Cymbacephalus</i> Genus of fishes

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

<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.

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

The Longhead flathead, 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.

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.

<i>Thysanophrys</i> Genus of fishes

Thysanophrys 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>Platycephalus laevigatus</i> Species of fish

Platycephalus laevigatus, the rock flathead, black flathead, grass flathead, king flathead, marbled-bellied flathead, Port Albert flathead, smooth flathead or Southern rock flathead, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is endemic to Australia.

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

Platycephalus bassensis the Southern sand flathead, Bass flathead, bay flathead, common flathead, sand flathead, sandy, sandy flathead, slimy flathead or yanks, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is endemic to Australia.

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

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">Spotted flathead</span>

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.

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

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>

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. 1 2 Motomura, H.; Matsuura, K. & Khan, M. (2018). "Papilloculiceps longiceps". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T114173325A114173342. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T114173325A114173342.en . Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Papilloculiceps longiceps" in FishBase. February 2022 version.
  3. 1 2 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Papilloculiceps". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 12 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 12 July 2022.
  5. ↑ J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 467–495. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6.
  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 12 July 2022.
  7. 1 2 Daniel Golani & Adam Ben-Tuvia (1990). "Two Red Sea Flatheads (Platycephalidae) Immigrants in the Mediterranean". Cybium. 14 (1): 57–61.
  8. ↑ Atlas of Exotic Fishes in the Mediterranean Sea (Papilloculiceps longiceps). 2nd Edition. 2021. 366p. CIESM Publishers, Paris, Monaco.https://ciesm.org/atlas/fishes_2nd_edition/Papilloculiceps_longiceps.pdf
  9. ↑ "Papilloculiceps longiceps". Summit Post. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
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