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Pixie poacher (Stellerina xyosterna) — Agonidae

Pixie poacher

Stellerina xyosterna
Family: Agonidae
LC · Least Concern

The Pixie poacher (Stellerina xyosterna) is a saltwater fish of the family Agonidae that grows up to 16 cm.

Length
16 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5.0–75.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The pricklebreast poacher is a small poacher from the eastern Pacific, along California and Baja California. The species grows to about 16 cm and has a slender body armoured with bony plates and a flattened, spiny head. As a bottom-dweller it lies half-buried on sandy and muddy bottoms of the coastal shelf and searches for small crustaceans and worms. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Pixie poacher?

The Pixie poacher has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Pixie poacher live?

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

How big does the Pixie poacher get?

The Pixie poacher grows to a maximum of about 16 cm.

Is the Pixie poacher dangerous to humans?

No, the Pixie poacher is harmless to humans.

Is the Pixie poacher edible?

The Pixie poacher is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Elfje-pantsernaald verified
English name
Pixie poacher verified
Scientific name
Stellerina xyosterna
Family
Agonidae
Other names
Pixie poacher; Pricklebreast poacher verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
16.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

More from the family Agonidae

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