Red indianfish

Pataecus fronto

FAMILY

Pataecidae

TAXONOMY

Pataecus fronto Richardson, 1844, Southern Australia.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

None known.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Grows to 11.8 in (30 cm) maximum length. An unusual-looking fish that is highly compressed, with a high dorsal fin confluent

with the caudal fin. The color varies but usually ranges from brownish orange to bright red. Their bodies often are covered by dark blotches dorsally.

DISTRIBUTION

Found in southern Australia from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria.

HABITAT

It is difficult to observe red indianfishes because of their excellent camouflage. When they are seen, they are found in rocky reefs and estuaries, often in similarly colored sponge beds.

BEHAVIOR

Red indianfishes often shed the outer layer of skin to help get rid of epibiotic growth (algae or bryozoans), which acts as camouflage. Additionally, these fishes have an unusual "swimming" style that mimics a dead leaf floating in the water; they basically twist and spin as the fall back to the sea floor. The red indianfish is not venomous.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

Little is known about the diet of red indianfishes, but their diet probably consists primarily of shrimps and other crustaceans. May be eatern by larger predatory fishes.

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Little is known about the reproductive biology of these fishes.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Not listed by the IUCN.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

This species is not commercially fished, but they are occasionally captured in commercial trawl nets.