Common Name: Smooth Toadfish

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Endemic to Australia where they are recorded from southern Queensland around the south of the continent to Esperance in Western Australia, including around Tasmania.

Ecological Notes: Prefers coastal bays and sandy flats, seagrass beds, rockpools and venturing to freshwater in estuaries. 

Additional Notes: Back and sides covered with dark brown irregular spots, with four darker bands, one on top of the head between the eyes. Tail sometimes a reddish colour. Occasionally seen in large schools, feeds on benthic crustaceans and molluscs. Commonly caught on lines, it should never be eaten or given to pets as it is highly toxic and has caused deaths. Grows to 15 cm.

References: Kuiter, R. H., Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Published by Crawford House Press Pty. Ltd., 1993. p.421.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Tetractenos+glaber. Accessed 10/07/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/tetractenos-glaber.html. Accessed 10/07/18.