Dr. Glen Whisson, Aqua Research and Monitoring Services, Australien
Info
Platycephalus speculator Inhabits sandy areas and herbaceous banks in shallow coastal waters, especially in shallow, sheltered bays.
This is the largest and most common flathead in Victoria's Port Phillip and is highly prized by both commercial and recreational fishermen.
The large flathead is sandy to dark brown or grayish, becoming paler on the belly with numerous dark spots and whitish to bluish blotches, and 3 to 5 large black spots or blotches outlined in white on the outer portion of the caudal fin (which generally do not decrease in size upward).
There are several references on the internet that the two long, side-by-side spines under the eye are supposed to be poisonous, but we could not find scientific confirmation of this.
Synonyms:
Neoplatycephalus speculator (Klunzinger, 1872)
Planipora melsoni Whitley, 1945 )
Planiprora melsoni Whitley, 1945
Platycephalus castelnaui MacLeay, 1881
This is the largest and most common flathead in Victoria's Port Phillip and is highly prized by both commercial and recreational fishermen.
The large flathead is sandy to dark brown or grayish, becoming paler on the belly with numerous dark spots and whitish to bluish blotches, and 3 to 5 large black spots or blotches outlined in white on the outer portion of the caudal fin (which generally do not decrease in size upward).
There are several references on the internet that the two long, side-by-side spines under the eye are supposed to be poisonous, but we could not find scientific confirmation of this.
Synonyms:
Neoplatycephalus speculator (Klunzinger, 1872)
Planipora melsoni Whitley, 1945 )
Planiprora melsoni Whitley, 1945
Platycephalus castelnaui MacLeay, 1881
