Elongate bottom living fish that have two venomous spines, one on the 1st dorsal fin and the other on the top of the operculum (Gill cover). Their are 4 members of this family.

SHAPE: Body long and laterally flattened; mouth almost vertical in the head.

COLOUR: Brown or Yellow-brown above, Paler below with 7-11 darker spots in the longitudinal series along the flanks. Front half of the first dorsal fin Black.

A shallow-living species. They are generally found half buried in sandy bottoms especially where there are rocks or sea-grass nearby.

SHAPE: Body long and laterally flattened; head on the head behind the eyes are three bony plates with radiating ridges; mouth is terminal and nearly horizontal.

COLOUR: Brown above and yellow-brown below. The area beneath the head is whitish. There is a characteristic pattern of dark rings and spots. The membranes between the first 4 dorsal spines are black.

DISTRIBUTION: Mediterranean; eastern Atlantic from Morocco to Senegal.

Frequents sandy bottoms. Probably lives down to about 200m and is generally a deeper-living fish than the other weevers,

SHAPE: Body elongate, shallow and laterally flattened; mouth terminal and oblique.

COLOUR: Greyish yellow above, paler below with characteristic narrow diagonal streaks on the flanks. The dorsal fin has a large black spot.

DISTRIBUTION: Mediterranean, Atlantic, English channel and North sea.

Lives on sandy bottoms down to 100m or more, But may occasionally come into water more shallow than 10m. Breeds in late spring and summer. The eggs are free-floating.

SHAPE: Body long and laterally flattened but the body is rather deeper than the other weevers, Mouth terminal and oblique, Spines their are no spines on the head only on the gill cover and dorsal fin.

COLOUR: Yellowish-brown above, lighter below. No conspicuous patterning but their are small dark spots on the head and back, The dorsal fin is entirely black.

Found on sandy bottoms from about 1m down to 50m. During the daytime they lie with their eyes and dorsal fin exposed causing excruciating to a bather should he/she stand on one. There is a report that an individual has attacked a swimmer.

The members of this group spend most of the day buried in the sand with only their head and 1st dorsal fin exposed. When alarmed this fin is raised and cause a wound which is both painful and can be incapacitating although any permanent injury is usually caused from secondary infection, e.g. the wound becoming septic...

The weevers feed on small fishes of all kinds and it is thought they may come more into the open at night.

For other fish with venomous spines why not try the link below

Alternatively try the site index page by clicking on the bookworm below

THE INFORMATION AND PHOTOGRAPHS ON THIS PAGE IS OBTAINED FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES:

SEASHORES AND SHALLOW SEAS OF BRITAIN AND EUROPE (ISBN 0-600-58376-7)