Meristic formula D1, VI; D2, 12-14; A, 12-14; P, 19-20; V, 1+5; LL, 83-107; GR, 15-21

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body elongated with depressed head. Two well separated dorsal fins, base of the first is short, its first spine very small. Second dorsal fin originating nearly midpoint, its first ray is longest. Anal fin opposite to second dorsal fin and similar in shape. Caudal fin emarginated, its upper ray filamentous. Pectoral fin base situated between dorsal fin origin and pelvic fin origin. Large mouth, lower jaw projected with small villiform teeth. Upper jaw rear edge not reaching the vertical of eye. Eyes dorsally situated. A long spine on the preoperculum, reaching back at least to opercular margin. Color : body tan to cream with scattered black blotches and spots on the body, dorsal and caudal fins. Common size : 10-15 cm (max. 19 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Other Platycephalids: lack of long preoercular spine; lack of filamentous ray in the upper edge of caudal fin; 9-10 dorsal spines. Scorpaenidae – Clearly a single continuous dorsal fin. Triglidae – Three lowermost pectoral ray detached. Callionymidae – Pointed snout with small mouth. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Feeds on benthic invertebrates and small fishes. Foraging method mainly by ambushing. Habitat : sandy or muddy substrate to depth of 50 m.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Italy, Gulf of Taranto, 2007 [2005]. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : From South China Sea, Gulf of Thailand to northern Australia. Mediterranean : southern Italy, Gulf of Taranto (Mastrototaro et al., 2007). More recently recorded in Kastela Bay (Croatia). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Very rare, only a single specimen recorded from the Mediterranean. MODE OF INTRODUCTION By ballast water or as aquarium escapee. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS In the Far East taken by trawl over sandy or muddy bottom.

KEY REFERENCES Froese R. and Pauly D., 2008. FishBase (on-line publication) www.fishbase.org Knapp L.W., 1999. Platycephalidae, Flatheads. In: Carpenter K.E. and Niem V.H. (eds) FAO Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO, Rome. pp. 2385-2421. Masrototaro F., Carlucci R., Capezzuto F. and Sion L., 2007. First record of dwarf flathead Elates ransonnetii (Platycephalidae) in the Mediterranean Sea (North-Western Ionian Sea). Cybium, 31(3): 393-394.    FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: November 2013 ©ciesm 2002