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Schmitt's toadfish (Daector schmitti) — Batrachoididae

Schmitt's toadfish

Daector schmitti

The Schmitt's toadfish (Daector schmitti) is a saltwater fish of the family Batrachoididae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5.0–30.0 m
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Venomous / poisonous

Description

Schmitt's toadfish is a venomous toadfish (Batrachoididae) from shallow coastal and estuarine water of the eastern Pacific. The species grows to about 15 cm and has a stocky, scaleless, brown body with a large, flat head and a wide mouth. As a bottom-dweller it often lies half-buried in sand and mud. It carries hollow dorsal and gill-cover spines linked to venom glands; a sting gives a very painful, strongly swelling wound. Treat as a serious venomous sting.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Schmitt's toadfish?

The Schmitt's toadfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Schmitt's toadfish live?

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

How big does the Schmitt's toadfish get?

The Schmitt's toadfish grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Schmitt's toadfish dangerous to humans?

The Schmitt's toadfish is venomous — handle spines with care and seek medical help after a sting if needed.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Schmitts gifpadvis sourced
English name
Schmitt's toadfish sourced
Scientific name
Daector schmitti
Family
Batrachoididae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Venomous / poisonous verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Daector

More from the family Batrachoididae

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