Description:

Dorsal spines: 8-9; Dorsal rays: 11-12; Anal spines: 0; Anal rays: 12.

Body elongate and depressed. Head large and moderately depressed with long spatulate snout. Eyes large and projecting. 1-3 preorbital and 1 preocular spine.
Suborbital ridge with about 6 or 7 spines. 2 distinct patches of teeth on vomer. Preopercular spines 3, upper longest, accessory spine usually absent; 
interopercular margin incised, forming a broad lobe. Scales small, finely ctenoid dorsally, cycloid below, covering body and most of head behind eyes; 
lateral line scales slightly smaller than adjacent scales on side and bearing a small spine. First dorsal fin with short base, first spine very short and 
detached, following spines much longer. Second dorsal fin with moderately long base, anterior rays longest. Anal fin opposite and slightly longer-based 
than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin truncate to slightly rounded. Pelvic fins long, extending past anal fin origin. 

Colour. Body light tan, mottled with numerous white spots and occasional dark speckles dorsally - well camouflaged in its sandy habitat. 5-7 darker bands 
across the back, one forming dark brown saddle on caudal peduncle. Whitish below. Alternating white and brown bands on lips with broad dark bar present 
below the eye. Numerous dark spots forming weak bars on the pectoral fins. The caudal fin has weak brown bars. 

Maturity: Unknown. Max length : 25.0 cm TL; common length : 18.0 cm TL.
 

Inhabits sand areas near coral reefs (depth 0-100 m, usually 2-20 m). Often lies buried or partly buried in sand. Usually occurs in small groups. Feeds on 
crustaceans, crabs and prawns, also on fishes.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. 
 

In water photo courtesy Eleanor Brighton and Chris Mason-Parker (c) 2022 Blue Safari Seychelles/Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles. Photograph taken at Alphonse group 2022.
Randall photo taken at Bird Island in 1992, specimen 14cm TL. 

Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO & Bray, D.J. (2020). Thysanophrys chiltonae in Fishes of Australia, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3369 (12/09/22). 
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2022). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/12902 (12/09/22).
McGrouther, M. (2021). Longsnout Flathead, Thysanophrys chiltonae Schultz, 1966. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/longsnout-flathead-thysanophrys-chiltonae/ (12/09/22). 
Motomura, H. & Matsuura, K. (2016). Thysanophrys chiltonae. The IUCN Red List 2016: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69800704A69800897.en. (12/09/22).
Randall, J.E. (1997). Randall's tank photos. Collection of 10,000 large-format photos (slides) of dead fishes. Unpublished.

Nevill, J.E.G., Brighton, E. & Mason-Parker, C. (2022). Thysanophrys chiltonae, Longsnout flathead. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/thysanophrys-chiltonae-schultz-1966/