On Sunday, September 29, 2002 9:28 PM, Reef Fish wrote:

> >> >With his knack for spotting critters, Julian discovered two large
> >flathead

> >> Crocodilefish?   :-)  For does it have to be a PAINTED flathead?

> >Now this is a strange one!  :-)

> That's because I misconstrued your conversation with Lee to mean that
> a "painted flathead" either looks like a crocfish or is the synonym of
> a crocfish:

> LB> >Be forceful . . . it was
> LB> > definitely a crocodilefish . . . what's one look like?

> DS> Like a painted flathead!

> Glad my remark gave you a chance to revise my mistaken image from what
> Ichtyologist Strike said on the previous occasion.  :-)))

Mate!  If I was an Ichthyologist, I'd be inclined - and have the necessary
larnin' - to call the critters wot we see, by their latin names.  As a mere
dilettante, however, I just describe what we see by their local names.  Some
of which have little or no meaning either scientifically or elsewhere in the
world, (like 'Purple People eaters'!)  :-))

In the case of Flatheads, they are also known as Crocodilefish.  (An example
of which is described and can be seen at the Australian Museum website:
http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/cbeauforti.htm
"Crocodilefish
Cymbacephalus beauforti (Knapp, 1973)

The Crocodilefish is a species of flathead (family Platycephalidae) with an
intricate pattern, a distinct pit immediately behind the eyes and a concave
head margin. ...... "    :-)))

Strike