De Beaufort's flathead
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Crocodilefish | ||||||||||||||
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| Cymbacephalus beauforti Knapp, 1973 |
The Crocodilefish (Cymbacephalus beauforti) or De Beaufort's flathead is a member of the order Scorpaeniformes, an order which also includes the scorpionfishes and stonefishes. It is found in the western Pacific; Indonesia, Philippines, and the Great Barrier Reef.
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[edit] Behaviour
They are predatory bottom-dwelling fish, using their camouflage to ambush their prey.
[edit] Description
Crocodilefish are mottled brown or green and grey, coloured ideally to be camouflaged with their habitat. Juveniles begin black. They have eye lappets, which help to break up the outline of the iris and improve camouflage, and can reach a length of 50cm.
[edit] Habitat
Crocodilefish dwell in areas where the sea floor is soft or sandy and their camouflage is most effective, usually associated with reefs or mangroves.
[edit] Diet
Crocodilefish are carnivorous, and will eat a most fish small enough to fit in their mouth.
[edit] References
- "Cymbacephalus beauforti". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. 10 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.
