Short dragonfish

📖 Overview

Inhabit lagoons often among algal or seagrass beds . Found on sand or silt bottoms, frequently in bays or estuaries . They are opportunistic feeders that collect mainly epifaunal and interstitial invertebrate prey, e.g., crustaceans and worms from the sediment-water interface . Shed their skin in one piece with a rapid jump periodically to rid themselves of accumulated ballast . Adults usually in pairs on muddy substrates . They exhibit a monogamous mating system with close-pair bonding . Pairs are home-ranging that is they do not defend an exclusive territory .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 5; Vertebrae: 19 - 22. Color in life variable; body usually light to dark brown, with dorsal and lateral area darker than ventral surface. Pectoral fins hyaline, distal margin white and spotted. Pelvic fin spine and 1st ray forming an elongate, tentacular structure. 3 pairs of dorsolateral body plates; 4 pairs of ventrolateral body plates; tail rings 8 (rarely 9), mobile. A pair of deep pits posterior to orbit. Suborbital shelf concave, eye visible in ventral view. Ventral ridges of rostrum greatly expanded than dorsal ridges, each with laterally directed denticles. Anal papilla absent. : other; Cross section: flattened.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Short dragonfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Short dragonfish is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Are broadcast spawners. In several aquaria, spawning is observed as pairs rose to about 50 cm above the substrate, their ventral surfaces closely opposed, releasing gametes at the apex of their upward rush; then they glided down to the bottom. As the pairs landed on the substrate, the male continued to follow his mate. Release of gametes follows. Spawning occurred only within pairs (obligate and genetic monogamy) .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; brackish; demersal; non-migratory ; depth range 3 - 91 m , usually 35 - 90 m . Tropical; 32°N - 32°S South Africa (Ref.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 12 records indexed .

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