Common Name: Shortsnout Flathead

Distribution: Uncommon to rare in the Solitary Islands marine Park. Previously recorded from north and north western Australia, Natal in South Africa, Samoa and possibly from Papua New Guinea. In Australia recorded from the Exmouth region of Western Australia, far north Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coastal mud or sand channels, sandflats and slopes, depth range 5 to at least 30 m.

Additional Notes: Light background colour with 3 or 4 broad dark stripes, excellent camouflage ensures this species is rarely seen. Feeds on benthic invertebrates and crustaceans, small fish. Specimen pictured approximately 70 mm long, grows to 10 cm. 

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p82.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=onigocia+oligolepis. Accessed 17/06/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Onigocia-oligolepis.html. Accessed 17/06/18.