Western-Australian Flathead, Platycephalus orbitalis Imamura & Knapp 2009

Other Names: Western-Australian Flathead

Summary:

A pale brownish flathead becoming whitish below with very small brownish spots densely covering the head, small brown spots along the dorsal-fin rays, in a pale brown pectoral fin with a white lower margin and scattered small darker brown spots, and a dark brown pelvic fin with a pale brown basal portion and whitish outer margin. The caudal fin Cais blackish, with a pale brownish basal area and a white posterior margin, the upper margin with several blackish short oblique bands continuous with the middle blackish area.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2020, Platycephalus orbitalis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2692

Western-Australian Flathead, Platycephalus orbitalis Imamura & Knapp 2009

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to Western Australia, from south of Cape Leeuwin to just north of Cape Cuvier.
Features	Dorsal fin VIII-IX, 13; Anal fin 13; Lateral line, pored scales: 65-68. Margin of interopercle scalloped; infraorbitals and preopercle with well developed skinny sensory tubes, mostly covering cheek region, except for anteroventral region; snout and interorbital naked.
Colour	Body and head pale brown, lacking distinct large spots and bands dorsally, whitish ventrally. Head densely covered with very small brownish spots. First and second dorsal fins with small brown spots along rays. Pectoral fin pale brown with white lower margin and scattered small darker brown spots. Pelvic fin dark brown with pale brown basal portion and whitish outer margin. Anal fin with brownish pigments along rays; membranes of posterior portion of anal fin dusky. Caudal fin blackish, with pale brownish basal area and white posterior margin; upper margin with several blackish short oblique bands continuous with middle blackish area.
Fisheries	Known from specimens taken in bottom trawls.
Remarks	The Western-Australian Flathead has long been misidentified as Platycephalus marmoratus, a species found on Australia's east coast.
Similar Species	Differs from the Marbled Flathead, Platycephalus marmoratus, in having the margin of the interopercle scalloped, skinny sensory tubes on the infraorbitals, the preopercle well developed and mostly covering the cheek region, and the body and head lacking distinct large spots and bands dorsally.
Etymology	'The specific name of this new species is derived from Latin for “eye”, based on its characteristic feature of a narrower interorbit.' (Imamura & Knapp 2009)
Species Citation	Platycephalus orbitalis Imamura & Knapp 2009, Zootaxa 2271: 58, Figs.1-3. Type locality: Northeast of Rottnest Island, Western Australia, 31°52.56'S, 115°18.30'E to 31°52.60'S, 115°18.49'E, depth 100-102 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2020
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Western-Australian Flathead, Platycephalus orbitalis Imamura & Knapp 2009

References

Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp. (in part as Platycephalus marmoratus)

Hutchins, J.B. & Thompson, M. 1983. The Marine and Estuarine Fishes of South-western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 103 pp. 345 figs. (in part as Platycephalus marmoratus)

Imamura, H. 2015. Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species. Zootaxa 3904(2): 151-207. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3904.2.1

Imamura, H. & Knapp, L.W. 2009. Platycephalus orbitalis, a new species of flathead (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) collected from western Australia. Zootaxa 2271: 57-63

Knapp, L.W. 1991. Platycephalus chauliodous, a new flathead fish from the eastern Indian Ocean (Teleostei: Platycephalidae). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 104(1): 23-29 Australia. Zootaxa 2271: 57-63 (in part as Platycephalus marmoratus)