- De Beaufort's flathead
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Crocodilefish 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Scorpaeniformes Family: Platycephalidae Genus: Cymbacephalus Species: C. beauforti Binomial name Cymbacephalus beauforti
Knapp, 1973The Crocodilefish (Cymbacephalus beauforti), also known as De Beaufort's flathead or crocodile flathead, is a member of the order Scorpaeniformes, which also includes the scorpionfishes and stonefishes. It is found in the western Pacific; Indonesia, Philippines, Red Sea and the Great Barrier Reef.
Contents
Behaviour
They are predatory bottom-dwelling fish, using their camouflage to ambush their prey.
Description
Crocodilefish are mottled brown or green and grey, coloured ideally to be camouflaged with their habitat. Juveniles begin black. They have eye lappets, which help to break up the outline of the iris and improve camouflage, and can reach a length of 50 centimeters (20 in).
Habitat
Crocodilefish dwell in areas where the sea floor is soft or sandy and their camouflage is most effective, usually associated with reefs or mangroves.
Diet
Crocodilefish are carnivorous, and will eat most fish small enough to fit into their mouth.
Eye lappet
The close shot of head and eye lappet of Crocodilefish. This photo was taken at the sandy bottom near Bi-Tou Habor park, a famous scuba diving site at northeast coast, Taiwan.References
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Cymbacephalus beauforti" in FishBase. 10 2005 version.
External links
- De Beaufort's flathead at the Encyclopedia of Life
- MarineBio.org entry for Cymbacephalus beauforti (crocodilefish)
- Crocodilefish entry at Australian museum fish site
- Photos of several species of Crocodilefishes
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