Sunagocia sainsburyi Knapp & Imamura, 2004
Sainsbury's flathead

Family:  Platycephalidae (Flatheads)
Max. size:  9.7 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 20 - 74 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific coasts of Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-11; Anal soft rays: 12-12; Vertebrae: 27-27. This species has the following characters: preorbital spines 4-5; total gill rakers on the first arch 5; bony expansion of the suborbital ridge upper base on cheek with 1-2 rows of small spines; maxilla reaching to below middle eye; papilla on upper surface of eye absent; ethmoid with a series of spines and several pairs of nasal spines; supraorbital and suborbital ridges with numerous smaller spines; no sensory tubules on cheek area below the suborbital ridge (Ref. 76979).
Biology:  A benthic species found in soft-bottom continental shelves (Ref. 75154).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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