Sailfin armourhead (Histiopterus typus)

Scientific name: Histiopterus typus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844

The Sailfin armourhead (Histiopterus typus) is a marine fish of the family Pentacerotidae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea to South Africa, Oman, Arabian Sea, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Reported from Malaysia and Indonesia.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25-27; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Small specimens pale with dark blotches on body, dorsal, anal and pelvic fins becoming larger and coalescing with growth; adults dark with narrow, pale, vertical bands.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Histiopterus typus
Family: Pentacerotidae (Armorheads)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 42.0
Common length: 20.0
Depth range: 40–421 m (131–1381 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 40 - 421 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa, Oman, Arabian Sea, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Reported from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial
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