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Greene's midshipman (Porichthys greenei) — Batrachoididae

Greene's midshipman

Porichthys greenei
LC · Least Concern

The Greene's midshipman (Porichthys greenei) is a saltwater fish of the family Batrachoididae that grows up to 8 cm.

Length
7.7 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–27.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

Greene's midshipman is a toadfish (Batrachoididae) from the eastern Pacific. The species has a flattened head, a broad mouth and rows of light-producing organs (photophores) on the belly and flanks, arranged in rows like a ship's portholes, hence the name. It lives on soft bottoms in shallow water to about 27 m. As a bottom predator it feeds on small crustaceans and small fishes. The dorsal fin and gill-cover spines are venomous and give a painful puncture wound.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Greene's midshipman?

The Greene's midshipman has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Greene's midshipman live?

The Greene's midshipman lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Greene's midshipman get?

The Greene's midshipman grows to a maximum of about 8 cm.

Is the Greene's midshipman dangerous to humans?

No, the Greene's midshipman is harmless to humans.

Is the Greene's midshipman edible?

The Greene's midshipman is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Greenes scheepslantaarnvis sourced
English name
Greene's midshipman verified
Scientific name
Porichthys greenei
Family
Batrachoididae
Other names
Shorthead midshipman verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
7.7 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. 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 Porichthys

More from the family Batrachoididae

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