Minous trachycephalus (Bleeker, 1855)
Striped stingfish
Minous trachycephalus
photo by Steene, R.

Family:  Synanceiidae (Stonefishes), subfamily: Minoinae
Max. size:  12 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 9 - 112 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: widespread; from the Red Sea and Madagascar east to Vanuatu and New Caledonia, and northern Australia north to the Gulf of Thailand.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Description: Characterized by having variable shades of grey and brown color; pectoral fins with faint bands; cheek and pectoral fin base with reddish hue; greyish inner surface of pectoral fin, pale axil with large white spots forming hexagonal pattern; very short first dorsal spine close to others, usually less than one-half the second spine; anal spines difficult to distinguish from soft rays; lowermost pectoral ray free of membrane; poorly developed head spines; two short spines on lacrimal directed downward, longer posterior spine than anterior; depth of body 3.0-3.2 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Occurs over soft bottoms (Ref. 39597) of the continental shelf. Benthic (Ref. 75154). Secretive species, usually found by accident. Buries itself in the sand during the day. Usually in shallow sheltered habitats with sparse seagrass beds. Sits on top of the sand at night (Ref. 48635). Also found in sand or mud bottoms in 10-50 m (Ref 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Luzon and Panay (Ref. 90102). Also Ref. 48635.


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.