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Western poacher (Bothragonus occidentalis) — Agonidae

Western poacher

Bothragonus occidentalis
Family: Agonidae

The Western poacher (Bothragonus occidentalis) is a saltwater fish of the family Agonidae that grows up to 7 cm.

Length
7 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–100.0 m
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The western poacher is a poacher (Agonidae) from cold, shallow rocky and kelp water of the northeast Pacific. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a stocky body entirely armoured with rows of bony plates and a conspicuous pit on top of the head. As a slow bottom-dweller it creeps over rock, gravel and weed and picks small crustaceans and worms. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Western poacher?

The Western poacher has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Western poacher live?

The Western poacher lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Western poacher get?

The Western poacher grows to a maximum of about 7 cm.

Is the Western poacher dangerous to humans?

No, the Western poacher is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Westelijke harnasman sourced
English name
Western poacher sourced
Scientific name
Bothragonus occidentalis
Family
Agonidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
7.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

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 verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Bothragonus

More from the family Agonidae

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