Platycephalus longispinis

Longspine Flathead
Platycephalus longispinis
Platycephalus longispinis, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Tom Davis

Distribution

Temperate Australasia


Description

Very long spine on the lower side of the head and a line of about six white spots amidst the orange-brown speckling on the upper sides of the body. This flathead is common off clean sand beaches along the mid New South Wales coast.


Information

Max Size: 38 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 15.5-23.7°C

Depth: 3-75m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Common (25.0% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney