General Description
Head with low, mostly smooth ridges, corner of gill cover with 2 strong spines, lower slightly longer than upper; large canines on tip of upper jaw. Sandy greyish brown above with many small yellow to orange spots and scattered larger white spots, sometimes darker blotches posteriorly, pale below; caudal fin pale with distinct bands to irregular yellowish spots; pectoral and ventral fins with large yellowish blotches. To at least 55 cm.
Biology
These flatheads are trawled commercially and occasionally caught by anglers. Their fin spines are venomous.
Distribution
South-eastern Australia.
Habitat
Soft bottoms in bays and along the coast, in depths of 10-160 m.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Tail fin pale with bands or irregular spots.
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Maximum Size
55 cm
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Hazards
Venomous spines can inflict mild to severe pain.
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Endemicity
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Commercial
Yes
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Conservation Statuses
DSE Advisory List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
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Depths
Shallow (1-30 m), Deep ( > 30 m)
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Water Column Locations
On or near seafloor
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
Knapp, 1987
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Common Name
Toothy Flathead
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Superclass
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
aurimaculatus
