Tentacled flathead

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Tentacled flathead

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Platycephalidae
Genus: Papilloculiceps
Fowler & Steinitz, 1956
Species:
P. longiceps
Binomial name
Papilloculiceps longiceps
(G. Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms[2]
  • Platycephalus longiceps Cuvier, 1829
  • Platycephalus tentaculatus Rüppell, 1838
  • Rogadius tentaculatus (Rüppell, 1838)
  • Platycephalus grandidieri Sauvage, 1873
  • Papilloculiceps grandidieri (Sauvage, 1873)
  • Platycephalus papilloculus Fowler, 1935

The tentacled flathead (Papilloculiceps longiceps), also known as the Indian Ocean crocodilefish, Madagascar flathead or longhead flathead, is a

Mediterranean, having invaded as a Lessepsian migrant through the Suez Canal
. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Papilloculiceps.

Taxonomy

The tentacled flathead was first formally

suborder Platycephaloidei in the order Scorpaeniformes.[5]

Etymology

The genus name Papilloculicepsis a combination of papilla, meaning "nipple", and oculus, which means "eye", a reference to the small and inconspicuous flattened papilla on the upper surface of the eyeball this species with ceps, which means "head" suffixed The specific name means "long head" and may refer to the head of this fish being similar to that of a crocodile's.[6]

Description

The tentacled flathead has an elongate body with a depressed head with 5 prominent nuchal spines. The ridges on the preoperculum and

caudal fin and the other fins are marked with large, dark blotches.[2]

Distribution and habitat

The tentacled flathead is found in the western Indian Ocean from northern KwaZulu-Natal and Madagascar to the northern Red Sea.[1] A single record was reported in the Mediterranean Sea off Israel in 1986.[8][7] This species occurs near coral reefs on sand or rubble substrates at depths between 1 and 15 m (3 ft 3 in and 49 ft 3 in).[2]

Biology

The tentacled flathead is a well camouflaged, ambush predator of fish and crustaceans.[9]

Gallery

  • Crocodile fish at 20m Ras Muhammad, Red Sea
    Crocodile fish at 20m
    Ras Muhammad, Red Sea
  • Papilloculiceps longiceps and Cymbacephalus beauforti are the two species of the family Platycephalidae which resemble crocodiles most
    Papilloculiceps longiceps and
    Cymbacephalus beauforti are the two species of the family Platycephalidae which resemble crocodiles
    most
  • Detail of lappets over eyes
    Detail of
    lappets
    over eyes
  • True colouration
    True colouration

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T114173325A114173342.en
    . Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Papilloculiceps longiceps" in FishBase. February 2022 version.
  3. ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Papilloculiceps". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  4. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Platycephalidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  5. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6
    .
  6. ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (7 December 2021). "Order Perciformes (Part 11): Suborder Platycephaloidei: Families Bembridae, Parabembridae, Hoplichthyidae, Platycephalidae and Plectrogeniidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  7. ^ a b Daniel Golani & Adam Ben-Tuvia (1990). "Two Red Sea Flatheads (Platycephalidae) Immigrants in the Mediterranean". Cybium. 14 (1): 57–61.
  8. ^ Atlas of Exotic Fishes in the Mediterranean Sea (Papilloculiceps longiceps). 2nd Edition. 2021. 366p. CIESM Publishers, Paris, Monaco.https://ciesm.org/atlas/fishes_2nd_edition/Papilloculiceps_longiceps.pdf
  9. ^ "Papilloculiceps longiceps". Summit Post. Retrieved 13 July 2022.

External links

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