Lusitanian toadfish

Lusitanian toadfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Batrachoidiformes
Family:Batrachoididae
Subfamily:Halophryninae
Genus:Halobatrachus
J. D. Ogilby, 1908
Species: H. didactylus
Binomial name
Halobatrachus didactylus
Distribution of Halobatrachus didactylus
Synonyms[2]
  • Batrachus didactylus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
  • Batrachoides didactylus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
  • Batrachus conspicillum Cuvier, 1829
  • Batrachus punctatus Agassiz, 1831
  • Batrachus borealis Nilsson, 1832
  • Batrachus planifrons Guichenot, 1850
  • Batrachoides planifrons (Guichenot, 1850)
  • Batrachus algeriensis Guichenot, 1850
  • Batrachus guentheri Pieter Bleeker

The Lusitanian toadfish (Halobatrachus didactylus) is a species of toadfish found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean Coasts of western Europe and western Africa, from the Bay of Biscay to Ghana, with an isolated and old northern record from the Norwegian side of the Kattegat.[1] This species grows to a length of 50 centimetres (20 in). This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries. Locally, it is known as gripau (Catalan), charroco, encharroco, xarroco (Portuguese), and pez sapo (Spanish)).[3]

The fish is also known to make a variety of noises, such as whistles, grunts, croaks, and a boatwhistle that is used both to attract females, as well as keep intruding males away.[4]

The Lusitanian toadfish is a sedentary fish which is found in substrates consisting of soft sand or mud and which often lies partially buried or conceals itself in rock crevices. They are solitary fish of shallow waters. It is a predator feeding on crustaceans, molluscs and smaller fish. It is a oviparous species and after laying the femal leaves the eggs to be guarded by the male.[2] It is found at depths of less than 60 metres (200 ft).[1]

The Lusitanian toadfish is of minor importance to fisheries, it is taken by artisanal fisheries and as bycatch. It is marketed fresh but also used for fishmeal and to make oil.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Collette, B.B. (2015). "Halobatrachus didactylus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T195003A15535727. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2018). "Halobatrachus didactylus" in FishBase. February 2018 version.
  3. ↑ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2012). "Halobatrachus didactylus" in FishBase. April 2012 version.
  4. ↑ Mary Bates (1 April 2015). "Zoologger: Bagpiper fish keeps intruders away with song". New Scientist. Retrieved 4 April 2015.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.