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Six-spine Leatherjacket skull
Meuschenia freycineti (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
The images show a leatherjacket skull found washed up at Wilson's Promontory, Victoria in February 2008 by M. Smalley. The skull is 10 cm long (13 cm including the spine) and 4 cm wide.
The images were sent to the Australian Museum for identification. The presence of a serrated erectile spine made it easy to confirm that the skull came from a leatherjacket.
The Australian leatherjacket expert Dr Barry Hutchins said that without the skull it was not possible for him to give a definitive identification, but the skull was most likely that of a Six-spine Leatherjacket.
The top two images show lateral views of the skull with the dorsal spine depressed and raised. The lower image shows a rear view of the skull and serrated dorsal fin spine.
The spine can be locked into an erect position as a defensive mechanism. This is made possible by a ball and socket "trigger-like" mechanism between the two dorsal fin spines. View an x-ray image.
Related links
- Yellow-finned Leatherjacket fact sheet
- Yellow-striped Leatherjacket fact sheet
- Stars and Stripes Leatherjacket fact sheet
- View the Leatherjackets list
- View the Family Monacanthidae list
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
