PORT PHILLIP BAY


Longsnout Boarfish 

Pentaceropsis recurvirostris (Richardson, 1845)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: X-XI, 14-15
Anal fin spines/rays: III, 10-11
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 16-18
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 78-85

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.
Body compressed, often deep, most species with the head almost completely encased in exposed striated bones and very long snout in some. Dorsal fin long-based, continuous, often tall, with a spinous and soft-rayed portion, pectoral fins prominent, upper rays much longer than lower, pelvic fins large with a strong spine. The fin spines are venomous in some or all species.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Pentacerotidae
Genus:
Pentaceropsis
Species:
recurvirostris

General Description

Body moderately deep, compressed, snout almost tubular, dorsal, anal and pelvic fins large; dorsal fin with 10-11 spines, soft dorsal fin forming a distinctly pointed lobe, hind margin concave; anal fin with 3 spines, pectoral-fin base in advance of ventral-fin base, tail slightly forked. Whitish with 2 broad dark angled bands on sides, and a dark band on head from above eye to snout tip. Juveniles with large brownish blotches on body and on dorsal and anal fin. To more than 50 cm.

Biology

Longsnout Boarfish have venomous spines and should be handled with care. They are mostly seen hiding under rocky ledges during the day. They are trawled in low numbers throughout much of their range and are good eating.

Habitat

Rocky reefs and sandy areas in coastal waters and bays, in depths of 3-260 m.

Reefs

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Boarfish and allies

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

50 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

Yes

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, Longsnout Boarfish, Pentaceropsis recurvirostris, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 20 Apr 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/8006

Text: creative commons cc by licence