Scientific Name
Congiopodus spinifer

Common Name
Spinenose horsefish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 19 - 21; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-14; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10. Adults brown and with irregular light spots, pale below; young pale brown and with irregular brown markings (Ref. 6626).

Classification

Classified By

Smith, 1839

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Racehorses or pigfishes (Congiopodidae)

Distribution

Region

Southeast Atlantic

Distribution

Southeast Atlantic: Walvis Bay, Namibia to Natal, South Africa. Record from Mauritius is probably based on a specimen originating from South Africa (Ref. 33390).

Range

23°S - 35°S

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

50 m

Depth To - meters

500 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range 50 - 500 m (Ref. 11228), usually 50 - 150 m (Ref. 36731)

Trophic Level

3.3 s.e. 0.54 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

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

45.0 cm

Common Length

17.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5176 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 vulnerability (23 of 100)

Resilience

Unknown

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated