Pelagic Armourhead, Pseudopentaceros richardsoni (Smith, 1844)

Scientific name: Pseudopentaceros richardsoni
Alternative name/s:
Nelson's Boarfish, Richardson's Boarfish
Pelagic Armourhead, <i>Pseudopentaceros richardsoni</i> Click to enlarge image
Pelagic Armourhead, Pseudopentaceros richardsoni, caught at a depth of 380m, off Port Macquarie, New South Wales, 10 January 2016. Thank you to Scott Anderson, DPI Fisheries Officer Port Macquarie, for contacting the Australian Museum and arranging the use of the image. Image: Braidyn McKinnon
© Braidyn McKinnon

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Pseudopentaceros
    Species
    richardsoni
    Family
    Pentacerotidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to at least 68 cm in length.
Pelagic Armourhead from Sydney Fish Market
Pelagic Armourhead purchased at the Sydney Fish Market, June 2015. Image: Bernard Yau
© Bernard Yau

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.