Greenspotted Flathead, Bembras megacephala Imamura & Knapp 1998


Other Names: Green-spotted Flathead

A Greenspotted Flathead, Bembras megacephala, from NW of Cape Leveque, Western Australia, CSIRO H 6570-10, depth ~195 m. Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO. License: All rights reserved

Summary:
A bright orange-yellow flathead becoming paler below with irregular fine lime-green spots, 3-4 irregular dark green bars on the caudal fin, the last a dusky submarginal crescent shape, yellow pectoral fins becoming pink distally, with lime and pearly green checks over the lower half, and 3-4 series of small spots on the dorsal fins.

Cite this page as:
CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research, Bembras megacephala in Fishes of Australia, accessed 30 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/1774

Greenspotted Flathead, Bembras megacephala Imamura & Knapp 1998

More Info


Distribution

Known from northern and northwestern Australia, from north of Port Hedland to northeast of Bathurst Island and Melville Island. Also recorded from off Lombok, Indonesia. Demersal on the outer continental shelf and upper slope at depths of about 150-280 m.

Features

Dorsal fin XI-I, 11; Anal fin 15; Caudal fin (branched) 13-14; Pectoral fin 20; Pelvic fin I, 5; Lateral line scales 54-55.

Body elongate, subcylindrical. Head elongate (length 38-41% SL), bearing numerous spines; eyes small (25-27% HL); iris lappet, ocular and interopercular flaps absent; supraorbital with 8-10 spines on posterior 2/3; suborbital with 5 spines; vomerine teeth in a broad inverted ‘V' shape; four preopercular spines, uppermost longest (not bearing a supplementary spine), lowermost smallest; gill rakers on upper limb of first gill arch 2-4 (usually 3 or more), 10-12 rakers on lower. Body scales small, deciduous; lateral line scales slightly larger than adjacent scales on side; 54-55 lateral line scales, anterior 4-5 with a distinct spine; 77-84 oblique rows of scales above lateral line slanting downward and forward. First dorsal fin spinous, first spine not significantly shorter than other dorsal spines, broadly attached to second spine. Second dorsal fin base subequal in length to first. Anal fin similar in shape, opposite and slightly longer-based than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin upper lobe rear margin slightly rounded. Pectoral fins about equal in length to caudal fin.

Size

Maximum length about 23 cm SL.

Colour

Head and body bright orange-yellow, with irregular fine lime-green spots, pale ventrally. Caudal fin with 3-4 dark green bars, the last a submarginal dusky crescent shape; pectoral yellow, grading to pink distally, with lime and pearly green checks over lower half; pectoral fin white basally, stippled brown; pelvic and anal fins white. Dorsal fins with 3-4 series of small spots, first fin lacking large dusky anterodorsal spot; lime basally, grading to charcoal marginally.

Fisheries

Taken as incidental by-catch in commercial trawl fisheries.

Conservation

None.

Etymology

The specific name megacephala is from the Greek megas (large) and kephale (head), in reference to the large head of this species. 

Species Citation

Bembras megacephala Imamura & Knapp, 1998, Ichth. Res. 45(2): 174, figs 3d, 13, 14. Type locality: off Port Headland, northwestern Australia, 18°28' to 34°29'S, 118°15' to 151°17'E, depth 150-156 m.

Author

CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research

Greenspotted Flathead, Bembras megacephala Imamura & Knapp 1998

References


Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. & Kailola, P.J. 1984. Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwest Australia. Jakarta : Dir. Gen. Fish. (Indonesia), German Tech. Coop., Aust. Dev. Ass. Bur. 406 pp.

Imamura, H. & Knapp, L.W. 1998. Review of the genus Bembras Cuvier, 1829 (Scorpaeniformes: Bembridae) with description of three new species collected from Australia and Indonesia. Ichthyological Research 45(2): 165-178. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02678559

Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293 

Poss, S.G. 1999. Family Bembridae. pp. 2383-2384 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790.

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.C. 1985. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra, C.S.I.R.O. Division of Fisheries Research, 375 pp.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37296049

Danger:Venomous spines

Depth:150-365 m

Fishing:Trawl bycatch

Habitat:Benthic

Max Size:23 cm SL

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