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Horned searobin (Bellator militaris) — Triglidae

Horned searobin

Bellator militaris
Family: Triglidae
LC · Least Concern

The Horned searobin (Bellator militaris) is a brackish-water fish of the family Triglidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
12.5 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
40.0–110.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Bellator militaris is a small searobin of the family Triglidae from the western Atlantic. The species has an armoured head with bony projections (hence 'horned'), large, wing-like pectoral fins and separate, finger-like lower pectoral rays with which it 'walks' over the bottom and probes for prey. It reaches about 12 cm and occurs from bays and estuaries to the mid-shelf. Unlike weeverfishes this species has no venom glands, so it is harmless. The diet consists of small bottom invertebrates. The species is sometimes landed as bycatch.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Horned searobin?

The Horned searobin has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Horned searobin live?

The Horned searobin lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Horned searobin get?

The Horned searobin grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Horned searobin dangerous to humans?

No, the Horned searobin is harmless to humans.

Is the Horned searobin edible?

The Horned searobin is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gehoornde zeehaan sourced
English name
Horned searobin verified
Scientific name
Bellator militaris
Family
Triglidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
40.0 verified
Max depth (m)
110.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary 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 Bellator

More from the family Triglidae

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