Spotted flathead

📖 Overview

Frequents shallow areas in depths of 10 m or less. Taken in trawl fisheries at depths from 23 to 250 m. Reported from a trap in the Gulf of Aqaba at a depth of 300 m. Young to juvenile stages utilize mangrove habitat . Adults occur in silty sand habitats from the shallows to a depth of 300 m . Also found in coastal sand patches, near coral reefs but more often on offshore (Ref 90102).

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 12. Uppermost preopercular spine reaching only about half-way to the opercular margin. Preorbital spine present. Infraorbital ridge usually smooth over anterior 1/2 of eye. Suborbital ridge lacking spines behind eye. Interopercular flap present. Iris lappet simple, semicircular. Numerous small dark spots on back reaching to below the lateral line, more widely scattered posteriorly. Has 5-6 dark bands across the back, but small juveniles may have only a broad saddle crossing the spinous dorsal fin and a narrow one near the rear of the soft dorsal fin . : elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Spotted flathead is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Spotted flathead is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Spotted flathead is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 10 - 300 m . Tropical West Pacific: widespread, from the New Hebrides to Papua New Guinea, north to Taiwan, through Indonesia to Thailand, Pakistan, the Red Sea, and South Africa.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 4 records indexed .

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