Scientific Name
Platycephalus speculator

Common Name
Yank flathead

Biology
A shallow water species, recorded from surf beaches, estuaries and in bays.

Classification

Classified By

Klunzinger, 1872

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Flatheads (Platycephalidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Indian Ocean

Distribution

Eastern Indian Ocean: known only from southern Australia, from Western Australia to Victoria and Tasmania. Large adults have been misidentified as Platycephalus fuscus, the common estuarine flathead of New South Wales and southern Queensland.

Range

- 45°S

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range ? - 30 m

Trophic Level

3.94 s.e. 0.65 Based on diet studies.

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

90.0 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: of no interest

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=1-2; tmax=12)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated