Spiny Gurnard, Lepidotrigla papilio (Cuvier 1829)
Other Names: Butterfly Gurnard, Eastern Spiny Gurnard, Southern Spiny Gurnard

Spiny Gurnard, Lepidotrigla papilio, at Fly Point, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia. Source: Dave Harasti / http://www.daveharasti.com/. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A reddish to brownish gurnard, with a white underside, a prominent black ocellus on the first dorsal fin, and large bony scutes along the lateral line. The inner surface of the large fan-like pectoral fin is dark green with an iridescent blue margin and a dark blotch on the lower rear of fin. Small juveniles have a prominent ocellus on the inner surface of the pectoral fin.
Spiny Gurnards usually 'walk' over the seafloor using their free thickened pectoral-fin rays.
Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Lepidotrigla papilio in Fishes of Australia, accessed 07 Feb 2023, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3754
Spiny Gurnard, Lepidotrigla papilio (Cuvier 1829)
More Info
Distribution |
Inhabits shelly and sandy bottoms in bays and coastal waters in depths of 2-110 m, although usually above 50 m; juveniles sometimes in seagrass beds. This is the most frequently encountered species of the genus in southern waters. |
Features |
Dorsal fin VIII-IX + 13-15; Anal fin 14-15; Caudal fin 11; Pectoral fin 11 + 3; Pelvic fin I, 5; Lateral line scales 54-60. Head large, bony, border of snout almost smooth; lateral profile of snout very slightly concave; interorbital extremely depressed; deep transverse groove above and behind eye, grooves meeting on top of head; bony rostrum with only slight medial notch, each side edged with tiny peripheral spines. Scales, ctenoid, firmly attached, not on chest and belly anteriorly; lateral line scales greatly enlarged, each with several distinct spines; caudal-fin margin straight; pectoral-fin tip to well past anal-fin origin. |
Colour |
Usually red, mottled with reddish brown to dark brown on back and dorsal fins, whitish ventrally; roof of mouth mostly orange; first dorsal fin with large, white-edged, black spot; caudal fin brownish with whitish band basally; inner surface of pectoral fin dark green with narrow blue margin. Small juveniles with prominent ocellus on inner surface of pectoral fin. |
Species Citation |
Trigla papilio Cuvier 1829, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons 4: 80, pl. 73(-77). Type locality: Indian seas. |
Author |
Dianne J. Bray |
Resources |
Spiny Gurnard, Lepidotrigla papilio (Cuvier 1829)
References
Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1829. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 4 518 pp. pls 72-99.
Edgar, G.J., Last, P.R. & Wells, M.W. 1982. Coastal Fishes of Tasmania and Bass Strait. Hobart : Cat & Fiddle Press 175 pp. (as (as Paratriglia papilio)
Gomon, M.F. 1994. Family Triglidae. pp. 494-505 figs 442-450 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.
Gomon, M.F. & Last, P.R. 2008. Family Triglidae. pp. 508-514 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.
Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp.
Johnson, J.W. 1999. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 43(2): 709-762.
Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. (as Lepidotrigla pleuracanthica)
Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. (p. 96, as Lepidotrigla pleuracanthica, separating eastern and southern forms into 2 species)
May, J.L. & Maxwell, J.G.H. 1986. Trawl fish from temperate waters of Australia. CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research, Tasmania. 492 pp.
Neira, F.J., Miskiewicz, A.G. & Trnski, T. 1998. Larvae of temperate Australian fishes: laboratory guide for larval fish identification. University of Western Australia Press. 474 pp.
Platell, M.E. & Potter, I.C. 2001. Partitioning of food resources amongst 18 abundant benthic carnivorous fish species in marine waters on the lower west coast of Australia. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 261: 31-54.
Richards, W.J. 1992. Comments on the genus Lepidotrigla (Pisces: Triglidae) with descriptions of two new species from the Indian and Pacific oceans. Bulletin of Marine Science 51(1): 45-65.
Richardson, J. 1845. Ichthyology. 17-52 pls 7-8 (parts), 11-30 in Richardson, J. & Gray, J.E. (eds) The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross, R.N., F.R.S., during the years 1839–43. London : E.W. Janson Vol. 2 139 pp. pls 1-60. (p. 127, as Trigla pleuracanthica)