Pony toadfish (Chatrabus melanurus)

Scientific name: Chatrabus melanurus Barnard, 1927

The Pony toadfish (Chatrabus melanurus) is a marine fish of the family Batrachoididae. Native range: Southeast Atlantic, Angola round the coast to Port St. Johns, South Africa.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18-21; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 14 - 17. Body with 4 dark cross bars; head and body with dark brown spots; soft dorsal and anal fins with irregular oblique dark bands; pectorals pale, with irregular brown bars; caudal dark brown, rear margin pale; large adults with irregular dark ring-like markings on head.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Chatrabus melanurus
Family: Batrachoididae (Toadfishes)
Order: Batrachoidiformes (Toadfishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 26.0
Depth range: 120–600 m (394–1969 ft)
Environment: Marine; demersal; depth range 120 - 600 m, usually 120 - 250 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Southeast Atlantic: Angola round the coast to Port St. Johns, South Africa.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026