Kingdom Animalia Family Pentacerotidae Rank Species | Class Actinopterygii Phylum Chordata Order Perciformes | |
 | ||
Genus Pentaceropsis
Steindachner, 1883 Similar Paristiopterus labiosus, Pentacerotidae, Evistias, Pentaceros richardsoni, Histiopterus typus | ||
Pentaceropsis recurvirostris, the longsnout boarfish, is a species of armorhead endemic to the temperate waters of the southern coast of Australia including around the island of Tasmania. It is found over the continental shelf at depths from 3 to 260 m (9.8 to 853.0 ft), though usually at less than 40 m (130 ft). It is carnivorous and its diet consists mostly of polychaete worms, brittle stars, and brown algae. It is trawled throughout its range, though is not a commercially important species and catch rates are low. It is the only known member of its genus.
Morphology
The longsnout boarfish grows to a maximum length of 70 cm (28 in). It has a large, spiky dorsal fin with 10-11 spines and a slightly forked tail. Its snout is almost tubular with a small mouth. The fish is white in colour with two dark angled bands on both sides and another band running from the snout tip to dorsal fin.