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Mudhead dragonet (Callionymus limiceps) — Callionymidae

Mudhead dragonet

Callionymus limiceps
Family: Callionymidae

The Mudhead dragonet (Callionymus limiceps) is a brackish-water fish of the family Callionymidae that grows up to 25 cm.

Length
25 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Mudhead dragonet is a dragonet (Callionymidae) from coastal water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species has a flattened, forward-tapering body with eyes on top of the head and a small mouth; males carry a high, finely marked first dorsal fin. As a bottom-dweller it lives on sand and mud bottoms and picks small invertebrates from the sediment. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Mudhead dragonet?

The Mudhead dragonet has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Mudhead dragonet live?

The Mudhead dragonet lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Mudhead dragonet get?

The Mudhead dragonet grows to a maximum of about 25 cm.

Is the Mudhead dragonet dangerous to humans?

No, the Mudhead dragonet is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Slibkop-pitvis sourced
English name
Mudhead dragonet sourced
Scientific name
Callionymus limiceps
Family
Callionymidae
Other names
Rough-head dragonet; Roughheaded dragonet; Rough-headed dragonet; Sand dragonet verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
25.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

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 verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Callionymus

More from the family Callionymidae

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