Bartail flathead (Platycephalus indicus)

Scientific name: Platycephalus indicus Linnaeus, 1758

The Bartail flathead (Platycephalus indicus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Platycephalidae.

Biology

Found on sandy and muddy bottoms of coastal waters. Frequently in estuaries, juveniles have been taken in freshwater. Taken by handlining and seining in shallow waters and by trawling at depths to 30 m, usually less. A good food fish that is marketed fresh. Commercially cultured in Japan. Used in Chinese medicine.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Platycephalus indicus
Family: Platycephalidae (Flatheads)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 100.0
Common length: 60.0
Depth range: 20–200 m (66–656 ft)
Environment: Marine; brackish; reef-associated; oceanodromous; depth range 20 - 200 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Philippines, north to southern Japan and Korea, south to northern Australia. Introduced into the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN): Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=7)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026