Enoplosus armatus (White, 1790)
Old wife
Enoplosus armatus
photo by Cook, D.C.

Family:  Enoplosidae (Oldwife)
Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range - 90 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Endemic to Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-15; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 14-15; Vertebrae: 26-26. Adults are silver to brown with black vertical stripes (Ref. 33616).
Biology:  Juveniles live in estuaries (Ref. 33616) while adults occur in estuaries and on inshore and offshore rocky reefs and seagrass beds (Ref. 9563). Found either in large schools, in pairs or as solitary individuals (Ref. 33616). Neither anterolateral glandular groove nor venom gland is present (Ref. 57406). Reported to have venomous fin spines without associated venom gland (https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/445#moreinfo).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  venomous


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