| Family: |
Tetrarogidae (Wasp fishes) |
| Max. size: |
22.5 cm SL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 14 years |
| Environment: |
demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 35 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Indian Ocean: southern Australia, from Western Australia to Victoria, New South Wales, including Tasmania. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 12-13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 4-6; Vertebrae: 28-28. Lack scales (Ref. 33616). |
| Biology: |
Occur in inshore waters (Ref. 9563). Most active at night, lying motionless during the day. Spawn during August-September and seem to be triggered by an increase in water temperature at the onset of spring. Smaller individuals feed mainly on shrimps and crabs, while bigger ones are piscivorous (Ref. 2156). Adults possess venomous infraorbital, preopercular and dorsal-fin spines (Ref. 33616). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 November 2023 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
venomous |
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