Family : Platycephalidae (Flatheads)
Order : Scorpaeniformes  (scorpionfishes and flatheads)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Crocodile flathead
Fish Name : Cociella crocodilus
Max size : 50.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 7050)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range - 100 m
Climate : tropical
Global Importance :
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Solomon Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia (Ref. 3476).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-11; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 11-11. Brownish with small dark spots on upper body; usually with 4-5 dark brown bands crosses back; spiny dorsal with broad black band near edge and small black spots below, other fins darkly spotted (Ref. 4315).
Biology : Occur from near shore to 100 m depth (Ref. 4315, 11230), on sand or mud bottoms. Larvae and juveniles rarely enter mangrove areas, most especially the lower reaches (Ref. 43081)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Knapp, L.W.. 1986. (Ref. 4315)

India country information
Common Names : Crocodile flathead, मिंच, വലക്ക, വാളക്ക , Mench, Spotted flathead, Valakka
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses