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Bighead Gurnard Perch
Neosebastes pandus (Richardson, 1842)

Family

Neosebastidae

Size

45 cm

Distribution

Endemic: South Australia to southern Western Australia

Depth

15 m - 600 m

A Bighead Gurnard Perch at a depth of 20 m, Noarlunga Tyre Reef, Noarlunga , South Australia, January 1999. Photo © D. Muirhead. View larger image.

The neotype of Neosebastes pandus. This 207 mm SL fish was caught in Cockburn Sound, Western Australia (WAM P.22132-001). Photo © B. Hutchins. View larger image.

Ontogenetic change in caudal fin pigmentation, based on preserved specimens. Left side: specimen less than 20 cm SL. Right side: specimen larger than 36 cm SL. Illustration © H. Motomura. View larger image.

A line drawing showing the head and a ventral view of the lower opercular spine. Illustration © H. Motomura. View larger image.

The Bighead Gurnard Perch has a relatively large, rounded head and slender body.

Colouration is variable from whitish to greenish, blueish or brown. Pigmentation pattern on the caudal fin changes with growth. Young individuals have a vertical black band basally and another distally on the caudal fin. Older fish have small black spots scattered on the fin. The Bighead Gurnard Perch is the only species of Neosebastes that shows this distinct change (black bands to black spots) in the caudal fin colour pattern, although the caudal fin colour pattern of N. thetidis also changes with growth (two narrow bands changes to one broad band).

The Bighead Gurnard Perch can be distinguished from other members of the genus by having the following combination of characters: the underside of the mandible has three distinct pores on each side, the lower opercular spine has a spine arising half way along its length, and the third dorsal fin spine is the longest.

The Bighead Gurnard Perch is a common species. It inhabits rocky reefs and sandy substrates in shallow to deep waters.

View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.

Related links

• Blackspotted Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Gulf Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Incised Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Johnson's Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• Long-snout Gurnard Perch fact sheet
• View the Scorpionfishes list
• View the Scorpionfishes of Australia list

Further reading

1. Motomura, H. 2004. Revision of the scorpionfish genus Neosebastes (Scorpaeniformes: Neosebastidae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes. 37: 1-76, pl. 1-2.