棘鯒

<em>Hoplichthys acanthopleurus</em> is a saltwater fish belonging to the family Hoplichthyidae, a small family of deep-water benthic fishes sometimes referred to as ghost flatheads. This species typically reaches a maximum length of approximately 18 cm and has been documented at depths ranging from approximately 120 to 457 meters, indicating a preference for mesophotic to upper bathyal continental shelf and slope environments. Hoplichthyidae is a modest family distributed across the Indo-Pacific, characterized by its members' strongly depressed, elongated body form reminiscent of flatheads, a heavily armored and ridged head, and a body covered with spiny scales. <em>Hoplichthys acanthopleurus</em> inhabits soft-bottomed demersal habitats at depth, where it lies partially concealed in sand or mud, ambushing invertebrates and small fishes that come within striking range. Its cryptic body form and coloration provide effective camouflage against the sediment substrate. The pectoral fins of hoplichthyids are broad and may facilitate short bursts of swimming close to the seafloor. Ghost flatheads are relatively rarely encountered by researchers or commercial fisheries, partly because of their deep-water habitat, and several aspects of their ecology, reproduction, and life history remain incompletely studied. <em>Hoplichthys acanthopleurus</em> is of scientific interest for deep-sea biodiversity inventories and demersal fish community studies. Details of broader habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature.