PORT PHILLIP BAY


Painted Stinkfish 

Eocallionymus papilio (Günther, 1864)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: IV; 7
Anal fin spines/rays: 6
Caudal fin rays: 9
Pectoral fin rays: 18-21
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5

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.
Elongate tapering fishes with eyes set close together on top of head, a small protrusible mouth opening forward and downward, pore like gill openings and a prominent barbed on side of cheek; scales absent; dorsal fin almost always in 2 parts, first short-based, second much longer; anal fin similar and opposite second dorsal fin; pectoral fins large; pelvic fins large, originating well before pectoral fins. Males are usually more brightly coloured than females.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Callionymidae
Genus:
Eocallionymus
Species:
papilio

General Description

Body long, tapering towards tail; head depressed, eyes close together on top; mouth small, opening forward and downward; dorsal fins separate, pelvic fins large. Top of head and body with blue-edged whitish blotches or spots, and striated bands on side; males with bands of blue spots on tail and blue and orange lines on anal fin. To 13 cm.

Biology

The most common callionymid in Victoria's Port Phillip Bay.

Habitat

Bays and shallow offshore waters on muddy, sandy or shelly bottoms, in depths of 3-50 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Stinkfishes and dragonets

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

13 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, Painted Stinkfish, Eocallionymus papilio, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6385

Text: creative commons cc by licence