Scientific Name
Platycephalus bassensis

Common Name
Sand flathead

Biology
Vertebrae: 18 - 20. This species differs from Platycephalus westraliae in having the following characters: both second dorsal and anal fin rays usually 14 (vs. 13), total gill rakers 18-20 (vs. 10); palatine with a tooth band comprised of several irregular rows of conical teeth (vs. with an inner larger conical and an outer smaller villiform tooth rows); caudal fin with several small pale brown spots on the upper lobe and one or two large dark brown or black spots on the lower lobe, and with concave posterior margin (vs. with 3 dark bands and with mostly straight posterior margin) (Ref. 86914).

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1829

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Flatheads (Platycephalidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: known only from southern Australia.

Range

30°S - 43°S

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

100 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range ? - 100 m (Ref. 9563)

Trophic Level

4.30999994277954 s.e. 0.75 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

46.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (48 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.19; tmax=9)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated