''Cociella somaliensis'' is a species of

demersal The demersal zone is the part of the sea or ocean (or deep lake) consisting of the part of the water column near to (and significantly affected by) the seabed and the benthos. The demersal zone is just above the benthic zone and forms a layer of ...

, marine

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

belonging to the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Platycephalidae The Platycephalidae are a family of marine fish, most commonly referred to as flatheads. They are relatives of the popular lionfish, belonging to the order Scorpaeniformes. Taxonomy Platycephalidae was first proposed as a family in 1839 by the E ...

, the flatheads. It is found in the north western Indian Ocean.

Taxonomy

''Cociella somaliensis'' was first formally described in 1996 by Leslie William Knapp with the type locality given as south of

Ras Hafun Ras Hafun ( so, Ras Xaafuun, ar, رأس حـافـون, it, Capo Hafun), also known as Cape Hafun, is a promontory in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia. Jutting out into the Guardafui Channel, it constitutes the easternmost point in Afric ...

in Somalia. These fishes were previously regarded as a population of the

crocodile flathead The crocodile flathead (''Cociella crocodilus'') is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean. Taxonomy The crocodile flathead was first formally descri ...

(''C. crocodilus'') but were recognised as a valid species in 1996, although this species was only tentatively assigned to the genus ''

Cociella ''Cociella'' is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific region. Taxonomy ''Cociella'' was first proposed as a genus in 1940 by the Australian ichthyol ...

''. The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

''somaliensis'' refers to the type locality.

Description

''Cociella somaliensis'' has 8 spines in the first dorsal fin with an additional very small separate spine to the front of it while the second dorsal fin has 12 soft rays, while the

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

may have between 11 and 13 soft rays but typically has 12. The pectoral fins have 19-22 rays. In the

lateral line The lateral line, also called the lateral line organ (LLO), is a system of sensory organs found in fish, used to detect movement, vibration, and pressure gradients in the surrounding water. The sensory ability is achieved via modified epithelial ...

the pored scales at the front end have spines. The types and paratypes ranged in standard length between . The upper body is pale tan in colour, marked with a scattering of small dark spots. The first dorsal fin is dusky marked with large dark spots while the second is also marked with large dark spots but on a pale background. The paired fins are dusky while the caudal fin is marked with spots and bars.

Distribution and habitat

''Cociella somaliensis'' is found in the north western Indian Ocean where it has been recorded off Somalia and off southern Oman at depths between and its habitat appears to be muddy or sandy seabeds.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2278046 somaliensis Taxa named by Leslie William Knapp Fish described in 1996