| Family: |
Ephippidae (Spadefishes, batfishes and scats) |
| Max. size: |
25 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 10 - 30 m, amphidromous |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf to Natal, South Africa, eastward to India and Lesser Sunda Island, Indonesia, north to Japan (Ref. 559) and Taiwan, south to northern Australia (Ref. 9710). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-20; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 15-17. Head and body silvery blue-green. Four or 5 faint dark blue bars often visible on body. Fins dusky. Body orbicular and strongly compressed, its depth more than twice length of head. Eye above horizontal axis through mouth. Mouth small, the maxilla not reaching past vertical at front edge of eye. Jaws with bands of slender, incisiform teeth with a single lanceolate cusp. No teeth on palatines or vomer. Preopercle distinctly serrate, with a broad naked margin. Opercle without spines (Ref 43039). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits shallow water, over mud bottoms. Feeds on benthic invertebrates and fishes (Ref. 9616). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
