Longtail seamouth
📖 Overview
A rare species collected from muddy and sandy bottoms of estuaries and bays. Known to 'walk' over the bottom using its tentacular pelvic fins. Juveniles expatriate to tropical regions; adults mainly found in muddy estuaries where they pair. Sometimes they are seen partly buried but also feed during the day. Sometimes found floating on the surface . Sometimes occurs in seagrass areas (Ref 90102). Feeds on small benthic organisms .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 5; Vertebrae: 21. Body light brown or olive to dark brown-black dorsally and laterally, lighter ventrally. Tubercles absent on surface of carapace; no scales on orbit; distal margin of dorsal and anal fins perpendicular to horizontal axis of body. 4 pairs of dorsolateral body plates; 5 pairs of ventrolateral body plates; tail rings 12, anteriormost 9 mobile, last 3 fused; a lateral pair of posteriorly directed spines on terminal tail rings; suborbital shelf convex obscuring eye from ventral view; deep pits absent. Rostrum monomorphic and spatulate. : other; Cross section: flattened.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Longtail seamouth is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Longtail seamouth is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Reproduction data for Longtail seamouth is currently being compiled.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 1 - 73 m , usually 9 - 27 m . Tropical; 36°N - 37°S West Pacific: Delagoa Bay, Mozambique to Saudi Arabia (Persian Gulf) and throughout Gulf of Manaar to Bay of Bengal; along the east coast of Myanmar; north to Japan, south to tropical Australia (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
small benthic organisms (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Longtail seamouth is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Detailed nutritional data for Longtail seamouth is currently being compiled from USDA FoodData Central.
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Longtail seamouth has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Long-tailed Dragon-fish · Long-tailed Dragonfish · Longtail Seamoth · Pelagic dragon-fish · Sea Moth · Slender seamoth · Winged Dragonfish · longtail seamouth · shorttail dragonfish |
| 🌍AFR | Langstert-seemot |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | سمك التنين السطحي · سمك التنين طويلة الذيل · عثة البحر النحيلة · عثة البحر طويلة الذيل |
| 🌍CES | dráček dlouhoocasý |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Langhalet pegasusfisk |
| 🇩🇪German | Drachenrößchen · Schlanker Flügelrossfisch |
| 🌍EST | Pikksaba-tiibhobu |
| 🇫🇷French | Poisson-papillon à longue queue |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Tenguno-otoshigo · Yaritengu · ヤリテング |
| 🌍MSA | Belalang karang · Kupu-kupu laut ekor panjang · Unduk |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Pegaz indyjski |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Peixe-mariposa-de-focinho-afiado |
| 🇷🇺Russian | дракон морской · моль морская · пегас короткохвостый |
| 🌍THA | ปลาผีเสื้อกลางคืนปากยาว · ปลาผีเสื้อกลางคืนหางยาว · ปลาผีเสื้อทะเลยาว |
| 🌍VIE | Cá Chai · Cá Rồng bay |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 海蛾魚 · 短海蛾魚 · 短海蛾鱼 · 長副海蛾魚 · 长副海蛾鱼 · 飛海蛾魚 · 飞海蛾鱼 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cataphractus anceps | Gronow | 1854 | Synonym |
| La spatule | Bonnaterre | 1788 | Synonym |
| Leptopegasus natans | Linnaeus | 1766 | Synonym |
| Parapegasus natans | Linnaeus | 1766 | Synonym |
| Parapegasus volitans | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Pegasis volitans | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Pegasus natans | Linnaeus | 1766 | Synonym |
| Pegasus pristis | Bleeker | 1852 | Synonym |
| Pegasus spatula | Lacepède | 1800 | Synonym |
| Pegasus volans | Linnaeus | 1766 | Synonym |
| Pegase spatule | Lacepède | 1800 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 12 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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