Agonus cataphractus
| Agonus cataphractus | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
| Family: | Agonidae |
| Genus: |
Agonus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801 |
| Species: | A. cataphractus |
| Binomial name | |
|
Agonus cataphractus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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Agonus cataphractus, commonly known as the hooknose, pogge or armed bullhead, is a species of fish in the Agonidae family, close to the scorpion fish. It is the only species of the genus Agonus.
It is characterized by being covered in hard, bony plates, which limit the flexibility of its body. It reaches up to 21 centimetres (8.3 in) in length, but is typically found at sizes of 10–15 centimetres (3.9–5.9 in). It features numerous barbells beneath a flattened head.
The species is found in the coastal seas of Norway, the British Isles, the Faeroes and the North Sea. It lives at depths between 2 and 20 metres, but migrates to waters down to 270m in winter.
Hooknoses feed on small crustaceans, molluscs, brittle stars and worms. They spawn from February to May in the bases of kelps and whelks. The eggs take a long time to hatch. Very little else is known about the biology of this species.
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