Scientific Name
Sunagocia otaitensis

Common Name
Fringelip flathead

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 12. Body mottled with brown and white blotches above, whitish below; back crossed by 4-5 dark bands which may be indistinct (Ref. 4315). Lips with a row of small fleshy papillae. Base of lower opercular spine concealed by scales. Dorsal fin rays usually 11. Iris lappet bearing short branches with bifurcate tips.

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: East Africa to the Tuamoto Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands (Ref. 9710) and Taiwan, south to northern half of Australia; Marshall and Caroline islands in Micronesia.

Range

26°N - 28°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

40 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 40 m (Ref. 9790)

Trophic Level

3.86 s.e. 0.67 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

19.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (29 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated