Pelagic Armourhead, Pseudopentaceros richardsoni (Smith, 1844)

Introduction

The Pelagic Armourhead has a small mouth and a head that is covered with rough, striated bones. It iis grey-green to steel blue above and paler below.

Identification

The Pelagic Armourhead has a long-based first dorsal fin that has 14 to 15 stout spines. The second dorsal fin is short-based and positioned opposite the anal fin. The ventral fin is large. The species has a small mouth and a head that is covered with rough, striated bones. It is grey-green to steel blue above and paler below.

Habitat

It is recorded from the surface down to 600 m depth, but is usually trawled in deep water.

Distribution

The species has a very wide distribution, being found in temperate marine waters of the Southern Hemisphere. In Australia it is only recorded from off the central to southern coast of New South Wales, from off the western coast of Victoria from off south-western Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

1. Hardy, G.S. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.