© Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia Full citation Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia: Volume 1 - Bony and Cartilaginous Fishes. Report for the South Australian Working Group for Marine Species of Conservation Concern. J. Baker (consultant); Science and Conservation Division, and Coast and Marine Conservation branches of S.A. Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH); Marine and Coastal Community Network of S.A. (MCCN), and Threatened Species Network (TSN). Web version published by Reef Watch, South Australia.

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PEGASIDAE: SEAMOTHS

© Carey Harmer

The Pegasidae is a small family of mainly tropical species of Indo-West Pacific distribution, commonly called seamoths or dragonfish. The family contains 5 recognised species in 2 genera, Pegasus and Eurypegasus (Glover, in Gomon et al., 1994; Pogonoski et al., 2002; Froese and Pauly, 2007).
Pegasid fishes have a broad, depressed body, contained in bony plates, and bony rings in the tail. Two characteristics of pegasids are the large, horizontal, wing-like pectoral fins, and the large rostrum, which extends over (and well in front of) the mouth. Seamoths crawl along the bottom with paired fins. The ventral fin elements, including the spine, are combined to form slender structures, used for walking. The mouth is small and toothless, and the jaws and snout are protrusible, used for feeding on small zoobenthos (Kuiter, 1985, 1993, 2000).
Adult seamoths are primarily benthic. Pairs of males and females engage in courting behaviour, and then rise from the substrate to spawn and produce pelagic eggs. The early juvenile stage is also pelagic, before settling to the bottom (Kuiter, 1993, 2000).
Pogonoski et al. (2002, citing Vincent, 1997 and Lourie et al., 1999) provided an overview of the conservation status of the family. Globally, the family is considered to be of conservation concern, primarily due to the use of tropical Pegasid fishes in the traditional Chinese medicine trade (Vincent, 1997; Lourie et al., 1999), and, to a lesser extent, collection for the aquarium trade (e.g. Pajaro et al., 2004). For example, in 2003-6, tropical Pegasus species were being sold for $100 per fish from a supplier in California, irrespective of size. In 2005, individuals of an unspecified species of Pegasus from Australia were being exported for US $60 - $65 per specimen (Ryan and Clarke, 2005).
All species and stocks are listed in the IUCN Red List 2007, and have been in that list since the mid 1990s. Pegasus laternarius, P. volitans (Philippines stock and South China Sea stock) and Eurypegasus draconis (Philippines stock) were listed in 1994 as Vulnerable, and still are, although the assessments are now out of date (IUCN, 2007). The Hawaiian Seamoth Fish (E. papilio), the Sculptured Seamoth from southern Australia (P. lancifer), and the less vulnerable stocks of E. draconis and P. volitans, are listed as Data Deficient (IUCN, 2007).
Of the 5 species globally, the single species in southern Australia (Pegasus lancifer) is discussed below.

Associated taxa

Sculptured Seamoth

Pegasus lancifer Kaup, 1861 = Acanthopegasus lancifer McCulloch, 1915