Paramonacanthus sulcatus (Hollard 1854)

Body width 2.1-2.5 in head length; body depth 1.9-2.5 in SL; head length 2.8-3.1 in SL; snout length 4.1-4.5 in SL; eye diameter 2.7-3.9 in head length. Spinules forming prominent longitudinal series on side of body (Ref. 33065).Description: Characterized further by white to pale brown body color with mottled pattern of brown blotches; upper back below anterior part of soft dorsal fin usually with prominent circular blotch, and diffuse bars, one joining posterior part of soft dorsal and anal fins, and another across caudal peduncle; origin of first dorsal spine above posterior half of eye; second dorsal and anal fins elevated anteriorly; straight to convex dorsal profile of snout in male, lacking obvious hump in front of nostril, female and juvenile with straight to slightly concave dorsal profile; rounded to double emarginate caudal fin, upper and middle lobe filamentous in male (Ref. 90102).

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 30 - 33; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 31 - 34; Vertebrae: 19

Inhabits muddy substrates in sheltered coastal bays (Ref. 48637). Also found in sand bottoms of trawling grounds in 15-50 m (Ref. 90102).

分布於中西太平洋區，由爪哇海至南中國海、台灣。台灣分布於澎湖海域。

主要漁法為圍網及底拖釣等，因具厚皮，食用前，通常會先去頭及剝皮，亦是俗稱剝皮魚的由來，亦可加工成魚露或製成飼料、肥料等。

體延長，雌魚體較高；吻上緣線稍凸。鰓孔位在眼後半部至眼後緣下方，孔裂大部份位在體中線上方，與體中線呈60至70度夾角。體鱗小，排列極規則，鱗僅具一中央強棘，此棘圓柱狀向後彎曲，成魚棘可分叉，眼後鱗片具十幾根叢生狀之小棘。第I背鰭棘位於眼後半部稍靠後緣的上方，背棘長而稍細，後緣具倒棘，前緣具粒狀突起；腹鰭膜大，但膜後緣不超過恥骨特化鱗之中央，特化鱗細長，共三對，可活動，第一與第二對鱗片等長， 第三對極長約為第一對的2.4倍，末端具向上之小棘，腹鰭膜收縮時特化鱗接近肛門；背鰭與臀鰭前半部之鰭條較後半部之鰭條高許多；尾鰭最上及中央之鰭條延長。體灰色，有許多水平平行細線，頭背及體背具黑色斑。以前所記載之絨鱗單棘魨(/Arotrolepis sulcatus/)為本種之同種異名。

主要棲息於沿岸、近海礁區、底拖區域的水域，喜成群聚集生活，具趨光性，月夜、晨昏或陰天會聚集於水上層。主要以軟體動物、小型甲殼類及小魚等為食。