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Brick Seamoth

Pegasus laternarius

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Data deficient
  • Usual depth9–50 m
  • Water temperature21–29 °C
  • Best monthsMarch and October
  • How commonRare
All species

Photo credit: (c) Izuzuki, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

About this species

The brick seamoth, Pegasus laternarius, also known as the long-tailed dragonfish, long-tailed seamoth, pelagic dragon-fish, or the winged dragonfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the Pegasidae, or seamoth, family. This species is used extensively in the Guangdong and Guangxi province of China to treat scrofula, cough, and diarrhea.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Brick seamoth”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 0 records
  • February: 1 records
  • March: 2 records
  • April: 0 records
  • May: 0 records
  • June: 0 records
  • July: 0 records
  • August: 1 records
  • September: 1 records
  • October: 3 records
  • November: 0 records
  • December: 0 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 9–50 m · Deepest record: 50 m

  • 0–10 m: 1 records
  • 10–20 m: 1 records
  • 20–30 m: 1 records
  • 30–40 m: 0 records
  • 40–50 m: 0 records
  • 50–60 m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 21–29 °C

  • 20–22 °C: 1 records
  • 22–24 °C: 2 records
  • 24–26 °C: 2 records
  • 26–28 °C: 6 records
  • 28–30 °C: 4 records

Names and classification

English
Brick Seamoth
Names in 2 more languages
Japanese
Tengunotoshigo, テングノオトシゴ
Simplified Chinese
海蛾魚, 海蛾鱼, 短海蛾魚, 短海蛾鱼

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 95 open-data records from 1956 to 2002.
  • Species data updated November 5, 2026.

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