Scientific Name
Agonus cataphractus

Common Name
Hooknose

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6-8; Anal soft rays: 5 - 7. Unpaired breast row of plates absent, but paired plate rows cover whole breast. Snout with a pair of strong spiny hooks; numerous barbels on branchiostegal membranes. Dorsal plates 31-34 (Ref. 232). Spiny and soft dorsal fins almost fused. No spines on the hind part of the head (Ref. 35388).

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Poachers (Agonidae)

Distribution

Region

Northeast Atlantic

Distribution

Northeast Atlantic: English Channel to Finmarken and Murman coasts and White Sea, also the Shetlands, the Faroes and southern and southwestern coasts of Iceland; southern part of Baltic.

Range

77°N - 43°N, 42°W - 36°E

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

4 °C

Water Temperature To

8 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

270 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 270 m (Ref. 58496)

Trophic Level

3.43 s.e. 0.47 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

21.0 cm

Common Length

14.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: public aquariums

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (26 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.47; tm=1-4; tmax=3; Fec=2,400)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated