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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🌡️ Tropical

Dusky batfish

Platax pinnatus Linnaeus, 1758
Max Length
45 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.7
Depth
15–30 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
37.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
reef

📖 Overview

Adults are generally solitary and found under overhangs of steep outer reef slopes to a depth of at least 20 m. Juveniles are encountered in mangroves and inner sheltered reefs where they seek shelter in caves or under ledges. Feeds on algae as well as jellyfish and other gelatinous zooplankton . Sometimes adults are seen in large schools travelling over open substrate .

Scientific Name
Platax pinnatus
Authority
Linnaeus, 1758
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
45 cm
Depth Range
15–30 m
Latitude
23°S – 30°N
Trophic Level
3.7
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
37.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 34 - 37; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 24 - 28. Juveniles are dark brown to black with a brilliant crimson margin around the entire fish . Adults dull silver with short fins . Body orbicular and strongly compressed, its depth more than twice length of head and 0.9 to 1.3 times in SL. Head length 2.9 to 3.8 times in SL. Large adults (above 35 cm SL) with protruding snout, the front head profile distinctly concave. Interorbital width 34 to 42% head length. Jaws with bands of slender, flattened, tricuspid teeth, the middle cusp about twice length of lateral cusps. Vomer with teeth, but none on palatines. Three or 4 pores on each side of lower jaw. Preopercle smooth. Opercle without spines (Ref 43039).: short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Dusky batfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 15 - 30 m . Tropical; 30°N - 23°S, 105°E - 171°E Indian Ocean is doubtful.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🪸 Reef Associated
Trophic Level
3.7±0.29
🐠 Schooling 🧍 Solitary
Food Items

algae as well as jellyfish and other gelatinous zooplankton (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.02818 × L2.94 (TL)
Max TL
45cm
Dorsal Spines
6
Dorsal Rays
36
Anal Spines
3
Anal Rays
26

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2023

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
37.00/100
Moderate vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.7
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
30°N – 23°S
Described By
Linnaeus, 1758

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Batfish · Butterfly-fish · Dusky batfish · Leaf-fish · Long-finned Batfish · Longfin Batfish · Pinnate Batfish · Pinnate Spadefish · Seabat · Shaded Batfish · spadefish · Sunfish · Turbot
🌍CES netopýrník tmavý
🇩🇰Danish Mørk flagermusfisk
🇩🇪German Spitzkopf-Fledermausfisch
🇫🇷French Platax à nageoires jaunes · Platax ombré à nageoires jaunes
🇮🇹Italian Pesce pipistrello nero e oro
🇯🇵Japanese Akakukuri · アカククリ
🇰🇷Korean 제비활치
🇳🇱Dutch Rode vleermuisvis
🇵🇱Polish plataks indyjski
🇵🇹Portuguese Peixe-bumerangue-do-coral
🇷🇺Russian Морской нетопырь
🇪🇸Spanish Paguala de aleta larga
🌍TGL Bunak
🌍THA ปลาหูช้าง
🇨🇳Chinese 彎鰭燕魚

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 18 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

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