How Well do you Know your Flathead?

Dusky Flathead 
​Platycephalus fuscus​
Spot the Dot on the Dusky
Dusky Flathead have different size and possession limits to other flathead species and are often misidentified.
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Distribution
  • Cairns and further south
  • Estuaries and coastal bays
  • Found on sand, mud, gravel and seagrasses
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  • ​​​​Top of body varies from dark greenish-brown to pale fawn to mid brown. Under surface of head is pale pink.​
  • ​Pectoral fins are densely spotted with brown, and there is a large dark blotch on tail.
  • 40cm min take size, 75cm max
  • Possession limit of 5 (not included in combined limit for all other flathead)
Bartailed Flathead
Platycephalus australis
Distribution
  • Mud and sand along the length of the Queensland coast
  • Shallow coastal waters and estuaries
  • Top of head and body is whitish and covered with small brown flecks
  • Dorsal, pectoral and pelvic fins have small brown spots on rays
  • ​Two or three horizontal dark bars, and a prominent yellow blotch near the middle of the tail.
  • 30cm min take size
  • ​combined limit of 5 for all flathead (excluding Dusky)
​Yellowtailed Flathead
Platycephalus westraliae
 Distribution
  • ​ ​Along the Queensland coast to Brisbane
  • Shallow coastal waters and estuaries
  • Found on mud and sand​ ​​
  • ​Head and body are whitish and covered with small brown flecks
  • Dorsal, pectoral and pelvis fins have small brown spots on rays
​Features that distinguish yellowtailed flathead from bartail flathead:
  • Tail is whitish with three or four horizontal dark bars 
  • Prominent yellow blotch along upper​ section of the tail (bartail flathead have blotch in the middle of the tail)
  • 30cm min take size
  • combined limit of 5 for all flathead (excluding Dusky)
Northern Sand Flathead
​Platycephalus endrachtensis
Distribution
  • ​Along the Queensland coast
  • Sandy beaches to a depth of 55m
  • head and body is whitish with many small brown blotches
  • small brown spots on dorsal, pectoral and pelvic fins
  • ​white tail with 5 or 6 horizontal streaks that narrow toward the top
  • No dots or yellow patches on tail
  • 30cm min take size​
  • combined limit of 5 for all flathead (excluding Dusky)
For the full list of possession and size limits in Queensland, go to 
​www.fisheries.qld.gov.au