by 3 separate dorsal fins; N. Australia only; to 5 cm. (APLOACTINIDAE)
5 BEARDED VELVETFISH
Paraploactis intonsa Poss & Eschmeyer, 1978
Inhabits trawling grounds, similar to 1 and 2 above, but deeper bodied, steeper forehead, and dorsal fin begins above eye; P. pulvinus (not shown) is similar, but lacks prickles on ventral surface of lower jaw; known only from Shark Bay, W. Australia only; to 14 cm. (APLOACTINIDAE)
6 DARK-FINNED VELVETFISH
Kanekonia aniara (Thompson, 1967)
Inhabits continental shelf in about 200 m depth; distinguished by pale colouration except for blackish fins; N.W. Australia and E. Queensland; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 10 cm. (APLOACTINIDAE)
7 LONG-FINNED GURNARD
Lepidotrigla argus Ogilby, 1910
Inhabits trawling grounds; distinguished by pair of short forward projecting spines on snout and enlarged fan-like pectoral fins with blue and yellow markings and blue-edged black spot; N. Australia only; to 18 cm. (TRIGLIDAE)
8 BLACK-FINNED GURNARD
Pterygotrigla leptacanthus (Günther, 1880)
Inhabits trawling grounds; similar to 7 above, but lacks scales, has longer forward projecting spines on snout, and blackish pectoral fins; N.W. Australia and Arafura Sea; to 15 cm. (TRIGLIDAE)
9 HALF-SPOTTED GURNARD
Pterygotrigla hemisticta (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)
Inhabits trawling grounds, similar to 8 above, but has black spot on first dorsal fin and scattered brown spots on back; N.W. Australia and Indonesia; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 25 cm. (TRIGLIDAE)
10 SLENDER ARMOURED-GURNARD
Peristedion liorhynchus (Gunther, 1872)
Inhabits trawling grounds, distinguished by dark margin on dorsal fins and banded pectoral fins; shape from dorsal view similar to 11 below; found throughout the region; E. Indian Ocean and W Pacific; to 25 cm. (TRIGLIDAE)
11 SPOTTED ARMOURED-GURNARD
Satyrichthys rieffeli (Kaup, 1859)
Inhabits trawling grounds; distinguished by black spotting on head, body and dorsal fin; shape from side view similar to 10 above; N.W. Australia and Indonesia; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 20 cm. (TRIGLIDAE)
12 FRINGE-EYED FLATHEAD
Papilloculiceps nematophthalmus (Gunther, 1860)
Inhabits sand bottoms; distinguished by 6-9 skin tentacles above eye (versus 0-1 in most flatheads), 7-8 dusky bands across nape and back extending on to sides, and strongly variegated pattern on fins; found throughout the region; Indo-Australian Archipelago; to 58 cm. (PLATY CEPHALIDAE)
13 DWARF FLATHEAD
Elates ransonnetti (Steindachner, 1877)
Inhabits sand bottoms; distinguished by 6 dorsal spines (versus 7-9 spines for other flatheads), filamentous upper lobe of tail, and semi-transparent appearance; found throughout the region; Indo-Australian Archipelago; to 19 cm. (PLATYCEPHALIDAE)
14 HARRIS’S FLATHEAD
Inegocia harrisii (McCulloch, 1914)
Inhabits sand bottoms, distinguished by overall orange-brown colour with fine brown spots on back and white below, irregular dark bars on pectoral fins, and elongate dark streaks on tail; N. Australia only; to 20 cm. (PLATYCEPHALIDAE)
15 SPINY FLATHEAD
Onigocia spinosa (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)
Inhabits sand bottoms; distinguished by numerous small spines on head which is very broad (when viewed from above), outer half of spiny dorsal fin dark brown; irregular brown bars across back and sides, and largely blackish pelvic fins with yellowish tips; N.W. Australia and Indonesia; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 9 cm. (PLATYCEPHALIDAE)
16 NORTHERN SAND FLATHEAD
Platycephalus arenarius Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886
Inhabits sand bottoms; distinguished by black stripes on tail; N. Australia and Indonesia; to 45 cm. (PLATYCEPHALIDAE)
★★★
17 BAR-TAILED FLATHEAD
Platycephalus endrachtensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1825
Inhabits sand bottoms; distinguished by black stripes on tail, similar to 16 above, but has fewer black stripes and a yellow blotch on upper part of tail; N. Australia and New Guinea; to 26 cm. (PLATYCEPH ALIDAE)
★★★
18 RUSTY FLATHEAD
Inegocia japonica (Tilesius, 1812)
Inhabits sand bottoms; a reddish-brown flathead similar to 14 above in general appearance, but has definite dark spots on tail (versus elongate streaks); sometimes referred to as S. isacathus; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 20 cm. (PLATYCEPHALIDAE)
★★★
19 HEART-HEADED FLATHEAD
Sorsogona tuberculata (Cuvier, 1829)
Inhabits sand bottoms; distinguished by prominent black area on outer part of pectoral fins and strongly barred pelvic fins; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 50 cm. (PLATYCEPHALIDAE)
★★★
20 OLIVE-TAILED FLATHEAD
Rogadius asper (Cuvier, 1829)
Inhabits sand bottoms, distinguished from other flatheads by forward directed spine on lower edge of cheek, similar in colour to 19 above, but has broad dusky margin on spiny dorsal fin and lacks faint spotting on tail; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 17 cm. (PLATYCEPHALIDAE)
★★★
PLATE 22: GROPERS (FAMILY SERRANIDAE)
1 WHITE-LINED ROCKCOD
Anyperodon leucogrammicus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Inhabits coral reefs; distinguished by elongate shape and pattern of pale longitudinal stripes and numerous dark spots; N.W. Australia, Great Barrier Reef, and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C. Pacific; to 50 cm.
★★★
2 FALSE SCORPIONFISH
Centrogenys vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
Inhabits sand and weed flats, frequently around rocky outcrops; resembles members of scorpionfish family (Plates
