© 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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Spinycoat Anglerfish / Mitchell’s Anglerfish

Family Name:	Antennariidae
Scientific Name:	Echinophryne (or Trichophryne) mitchellii (Morton, 1897) = E. mitchelli
Recommended Status in S.A:	Data Deficient
Rationale:  Spinycoat Anglerfish is included here because (i) temperate anglerfishes in general are potentially vulnerable to population decline, due to their strong site association, low fecundity, benthic reproduction and (probably) restricted dispersal ability; (ii) the species may be vulnerable to capture in trawl fisheries, but there are insufficient data on potential population impacts; (iii) in south-eastern Australia, the species is legally taken for the aquarium market, but it is not known whether there is also unregulated collection of this species , which may cause localised population depletion; and (iv) there is little information on the distribution and relative abundance or rarity in the southern part of the range (including S.A.), and few data on the specific habitat requirements and biology of this species.

Page Contents

Current Conservation Status

No listings known

Distribution

Southern Australia

Spinycoat Anglerfish is known mainly from Victoria, Tasmania, and Bass Strait (e.g. Flinders Island) (Pietsch and Grobecker, 1987; Pietsch, in Gomon et al., 1994), but there are also records from South Australia (see below), which is likely the western edge of the geographic range.

South Australia

Examples of locations in South Australia where the species has been recorded include the head of the Great Australian Bight; Venus Bay / Anxious Bay area, in the eastern Great Australian Bight; metropolitan Gulf St Vincent (e.g. Glenelg and Brighton); 90 Mile Beach, in the upper South East (specimen washed up, about 10 miles south of Salt Creek) (South Australian Museum records, 1919, 1932, 1964, 1983, cited in OZCAM database, 2007; South Australian Museum data, 2002, cited by R. Foster, pers. comm., 2006, 2007).

Habitat

Spinycoat Anglerfish is found in deeper waters compared with most other members of the family in southern Australia. The species has more often been found within the range 30m to 100m, but there are records to about 190m, in both Victoria and South Australia (Poss, in Gomon et al., 1994; CSIRO Australian National Fish Collection data, cited in OZCAM database, 2007; South Australian Museum data, cited by R. Foster, 2006).

Notes on the Biology

Growth

This species grows to at least 11cm (Pietsch and Grobecker, 1987).

Reproduction

Species of Echinophryne are reported to be oviparous. Eggs are produced in a gelatinous mass, where they remain embedded until hatching (Breder and Rosen, 1966, and Thresher, 1984, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2006).

Other Information

One specimen was recorded as being bright orange in colour when freshly caught (S.A. Museum data, 1965).

Fisheries Information

Commercial

The species is vulnerable to capture in various trawl fisheries (Kuiter, 1993, 2000; Pietsch, in Gomon et al., 1994; Museum of Victoria record A1566, cited in OZCAM database, 2007).
There are records from the prawn trawling in the eastern Great Australian Bight (South Australian Museum records, 1983, cited in OZCAM database, 2007).
The species is also taken in Tasmania for the specialist aquarium trade.

Recreational

Spinycoat Anglerfish is occasionally taken by recreational fishers (including spear fishers) (e.g. Australian Underwater Federation Inc., 2003).

Vulnerable Characteristics of the Species

Anglerfishes have low fecundity, benthic reproduction and restricted larval dispersal, which are characteristics that increase the vulnerability of such fishes to population decline (e.g. see Pogonoski et al., 2002, for information on the vulnerability of other fish families with similar reproductive characteristics).

Threatening Processes

The species may be vulnerable to capture in trawl fisheries, but there are insufficient data on potential population impacts.
In south-eastern Australia, the species is legally taken for the aquarium market, but it is not known whether there is also unregulated collection of this species, which may cause localised population depletion.

Research Requirements

There is little information on the distribution, relative abundance or rarity, habitat, depth range, and biology of this species.
All trawl-caught specimens, and relevant collecting details, should be provided to the South Australian Museum.

Other Information

The species has been recorded in the Great Australian Bight Marine Park (SARDI data, 2002).