Pallasina barbata (Steindachner, 1876)
Tubenose poacher
photo by Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish.

Family:  Agonidae (Poachers), subfamily: Brachyopsinae
Max. size:  17 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 105 m
Distribution:  North Pacific: Sea of Japan to the Bering Sea and to Bodega Bay, central California, USA. Past works (e.g. Hart 1973, Ref. 6885) recognized two subspecies, Pallasina barbata barbata occurring in the Bering Sea and along the Asian coast through the Sea of Okhotsk to Japan and Pallasina barbata aix occurring from the Gulf of Alaska to California, USA, as well as Kamchatka and Japan. Sheiko 1993 on the other hand recognizes both Pallasina barbata and Pallasina aix as valid species (Ref. 26282).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 5-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6-9; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 8-13. Caudal fin rounded (Ref. 28197). Preserved specimens dark brown, darker dorsally, paler ventrally (Ref. 28197). A stripe on head, from tip of snout to, through part between temporal ridge and uppermost preopercular spine, to posterior upper part of opercle (Ref. 28197). Fins pale, except for the dark caudal fin (Ref. 28197). Tiny spots on dorsal and pectoral fin rays (Ref. 28197).
Biology:  Inhabits intertidal areas and to 55 m depth, possibly to 128 m (Ref. 2850). Often found among eelgrasses or seaweeds (Ref. 2850).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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