| Family: |
Ephippidae (Spadefishes, batfishes and scats) |
| Max. size: |
91 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 9,000.0 g |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 3 - 35 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Ref. 47377). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21-24; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 17-18. Very deep-bodied, compressed, disk-shaped fish with a very blunt snout. Irregular, bold, blackish, vertical bands that fade with age. Second dorsal and anal fins have high anterior lobes (Ref. 26938). Mouth small, the maxilla of adults ending beneath nostrils; no teeth on roof of mouth; scales ctenoid; head and fins scaled; opercle ends in an obtuse point (Ref. 13442). |
| Biology: |
Abundant in shallow coastal waters, from mangroves and sandy beaches to wrecks and harbors. Juveniles (black phase) are common in estuaries and often found in very shallow water swimming at an angle resembling dead leaves or as infertile red mangrove pods and other debris. Adults often occur in very large schools of up to 500 individuals (Ref. 9710). Feed on benthic invertebrates like crustaceans, mollusks, annelids, cnidarians as well as on plankton (Ref. 35237). Good food fish (Ref. 5521); marketed fresh (Ref. 5217). Often circles divers (Ref. 9710). Minimum depth from Ref. 9710. In southeastern Brazil found between 23 and 45 m (Ref. 47377). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35425). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 January 2013 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
reports of ciguatera poisoning |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
