Scientific Name
Neosebastes nigropunctatus

Common Name
Black-spotted gurnard perch

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5. Diagnosis: Dorsal rays XIII, 8 with third spine longest. Anal rays III, 5 (6 in 2 of 34 specimens). Pectoral rays 19-21 (mode 20), distal margin bilobed. Pored lateral-line scales 30-34 (32). Longitudinal scale series 49-56 (54). Scale rows between base of last dorsal spine and lateral line 5 or 6 (6). Well-developed gill rakers on upper limb 1, lower limb 5 or 6 (6), total 6 or 7 (7); rudimentary gill rakers on upper limb 3-5 (4), lower limb 4-9 (6). The swim bladder is not bilobed in ventral view, but bilobed anteriorly in lateral view (length 23% of SL, width 17% of SL, bilobed portion 23% of total swim bladder length). Dorsal profile of snout not steep, forming angle of about 40-55? to horizontal axis of head and body. Nasal spine simple, directed upward or slightly backward, length of former greater than or equal to (rarely smaller than) anterior nostril diameter. Po

Classification

Classified By

McCulloch, 1915

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Gurnard scorpionfishes (Neosebastidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Indian Ocean

Distribution

Eastern Indian Ocean: off the south and southwest coasts of Australia.

Range

32°S - 37°S

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

30 m

Depth To - meters

556 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 30 - 556 m (Ref. 54394), usually 30 - 200 m (Ref. 9563)

Trophic Level

3.62 s.e. 0.60 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

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

36.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5002 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (19 of 100)

Resilience

Unknown

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 9563)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated