PORT PHILLIP BAY


Flathead Sandfish 

Lesueurina platycephala Fowler, 1907

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: 32-36
Anal fin spines/rays: 36-37
Caudal fin rays: 10
Pectoral fin rays: 17-21
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 46-49

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.
Small sand dwelling fishes with an elongate body, a broad blunt head, small dorsally-placed eyes, a wide mouth, both jaws fringed with cirri, a single long-based dorsal fin and similar but slightly longer anal fin originating ahead of the dorsal fin.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Leptoscopidae
Genus:
Lesueurina
Species:
platycephala

General Description

Body depressed anteriorly; head depressed, dorsal surface slightly convex to flat in profile; mouth directed slightly upwards when closed; scales covering most of head, but absent from front of pectoral-fin base. Sandy coloured, scales outlined in pale green, grey or brown on top, underside paler. To 11 cm.

Biology

These fishes bury in sand leaving only eyes exposed to escape predation and await prey. Cirri prevent sand entering mouth and gill cavities while the fish is buried. They are relatively common off sandy beaches, although rarely seen.

Habitat

Shallow, clear sandy areas with high turbulence in bays and along the coast, in depths of 0-20 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Sandfishes

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

11 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, Flathead Sandfish, Lesueurina platycephala, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6414

Text: creative commons cc by licence