PORT PHILLIP BAY


Broad Duckbill 

Enigmapercis reducta

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: II, 18
Anal fin spines/rays: 24
Caudal fin rays: 9
Pectoral fin rays: 16
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 37

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
A large and highly diverse group of modern bony fishes many of which have a generalized perch like body form. Most have pelvic fins with one spine and 5 rays and the maxillary bone is excluded from the gape of the mouth. Interrelationships of the group are poorly understood and continue to be studied. They inhabit almost all aquatic habitats from high-altitude strams to the deep sea, although most are marine.

Family Level detail.
Mostly small, bottom dwelling fishes with elongate bodies, large depressed heads with prominent close set eyes, a large mouth with fine teeth, and two separate dorsal fins, the first short based and the second long based and opposite the similar anal fin. Widespread, mainly in deeper waters of tropical and sub tropical oceans.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Percophidae
Genus:
Enigmapercis
Species:
reducta

General Description

Small slender fish with a pointed snout, eyes on top of head, protruding slightly above dorsal profile. Sandy coloured with pale brown cross bars and irregular blotches above, a conspicuous blotch on upper part of tail base, first dorsal fin black, tail with yellow and pale brown bands; eye metallic blue. To 9 cm.

Biology

This fish is rarely seen because of its small size and cryptic colouration.

Habitat

Inshore on sandy bottoms, often near rocky reefs, in depths of 1-60 m.

Reefs

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Duckbills

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

9 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Broad Duckbill, Enigmapercis reducta, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6384

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