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  • large tentacle over eye
    D1 III
    operculum - 2 + 1 spines
    no glands on pectoral fin
    no pore after pectoral base
    no scales
  • scales on nape not reaching onto head
    D 24-26
    A 22-23
    Batrachoides gilberti, Large-eye toadfish
    mouth barbels white
    pectoral - white + dark bars
    LL white, 36-45 + 33-41
  • scales on nape not reaching onto head
    D 21-23
    A 19-21
    D & A oblique dark bars
    Batrachoides manglae, Cotuero toadfish
    LL 31-34 + 29-37
  • head short, v wide, square
    scales on nape reach onto mid-head
    D 28-30
    A 25-27
    fins not barred
    Batrachoides surinamensis, Pacuma toadfish
    LL 54-67 + 48-66
  • body dark, flank - light spots
    D2 24-25
    Opsanus beta, Gulf toadfish
    inside mouth pale
    pectoral 18-19, light spots form bars
  • fins strong bars
    D2 23-25
    Opsanus dichrostomus, Bicolor toadfish
    rear of lower 1/2 mouth dark
    pectoral 17-19
  • body pale + dark spots
    D2 26
    fins weak bars
    Opsanus pardus, Leopard toadfish
    inside mouth pale
    pectoral 19-21, no bars, mottled
  • D2 23-25
    fins - strong bars
    Opsanus phobetron, Scarecrow toadfish
    inside mouth & gill chamber black
    pectoral 17-18
  • head - 2 dark stripes
    belly - dark reticulations
    D2 25-26
    fins strong bars
    Opsanus tau, Oyster toadfish
    inside mouth pale
    pectoral 20-21
  • body dark
    flank: row 6-8 dark blotches
    D&A dark edges
    D2 35; A 32
    gill rakers 12-13
    pectoral 17
  • upper head & nape: spots + worm-lines
    Porichthys oculofrenum, Ocelated toadfish
    gill rakers 12
    pectoral 16-17, tip with dark ocellus
    light-organ line under throat V shaped
  • head & back: no spots
    Porichthys pauciradiatus, Few-rayed toadfish
    gill rakers 8-9
    pectoral 14-16
    light-organ line under throat V shaped
  • upper head & body: rows alternating dark spots
    Porichthys plectrodon, Atlantic midshipman
    gill rakers 10-17
    pectoral 16-19
    light-organ line under throat U shaped + central forward extension
  • head & body black + white dots
    Sanopus astrifer, Whitespotted toadfish, Starry toadfish
    only central chin barbels branched
    upper LL 36-41
  • body & head dark
    C: 1-3 large ocelli
    Sanopus barbatus, Bearded toadfish
    all chin barbels branched, branches short, thick, many
  • black; head: many white lines
    Sanopus greenfieldorum, Whitelined toadfish
    only central chin barbels branched
    upper LL 36-41
  • body & head dark
    Sanopus johnsoni, Cozumel toadfish
    all chin barbels branched, branches long, thin, few
  • dark + network pale lines
    C ~6 narrow, wavy bars
    Sanopus reticulatus, Reticulate toadfish
    all chin barbels branched
  • head black + white zebra line
    body grey + faint pale mesh
    fins dark + wide orange /yellow edges
    Sanopus splendidus, Splendid toadfish
    only central 1-2 chin barbels branched
  • eye moderate
    body - small & large dark spots & dark blotches
    fin edges not pale
    Thalassophryne maculosa, Caño toadfish
    pectoral 15-16
  • eye large
    upper back - 4 faint saddles
    no spots body & fins
    fin edges not pale
    Thalassophryne megalops, Big-eyed toadfish
    pectoral 13-15
  • top head - scattered dark spots
    D & opercular spines in dark blotches
    fins: outer 1/3 black + white edges
    Thalassophryne nattereri, Copper-Joe toadfish
  • head white + red bars, iris gold
    LL pores : white skin flaps
    fins yellowish, C & pectoral barred
    1 D1 - III
    Vladichthys gloverensis, Glover’s toadfish
    opercular spines 2 + 1
    glands on pectoral fin
    no scales