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Boarfish (Antigonia combatia) — Caproidae

Boarfish

Antigonia combatia
Family: Caproidae
LC · Least Concern

The Boarfish (Antigonia combatia) is a saltwater fish of the family Caproidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
15 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
115.0–585.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The shortspine boarfish is a boarfish (Caproidae) from the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The species has a conspicuously deep, diamond-shaped, strongly laterally compressed, reddish body with large eyes and a small, protrusible mouth. It lives near the bottom on the deeper continental shelf and upper slope. It feeds on small zooplankton and small bottom invertebrates. It is edible but rarely marketed. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Boarfish?

The Boarfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Boarfish live?

The Boarfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Boarfish get?

The Boarfish grows to a maximum of about 15 cm. On average the species is around 10 cm.

Is the Boarfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Boarfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Boarfish edible?

The Boarfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Kortstekel-everzwijnvis sourced
English name
Boarfish verified
Scientific name
Antigonia combatia
Family
Caproidae
Other names
Shortspine Boarfish; Shortspine boarfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
15.0 verified
Average length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
115.0 verified
Max depth (m)
585.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Antigonia

More from the family Caproidae

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