Species: Amphichthys cryptocentrus, Bocon Toadfish

Amphichthys cryptocentrus (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837)

Bocon Toadfish

Head and front of body greatly depressed; head with many barbells, especially around lower jaw; a prominent branched tentacle over eye; teeth molar-like to pointed, but no canines; 2 solid spines on upper opercle and 1 below those; gill openings restricted to side, before pectoral fin base; dorsal fin with III solid spines, spiny and soft parts joined, soft part 29 rays; anal fin 23-25 rays; dorsal and anal fins not joined to tail fin; no glands between upper pectoral rays on inner surface of fin; a gland but no pore opening to surface at rear of base of pectoral fin; 2 lateral lines (32-40 pores in upper, 27-34 in lower); no light organs; no scales.

Head and body pale brown to yellowish, with diffuse mottled markings; belly whitish; head often with small orange spots, and lower part brown with white reticulations, a dark irregular bar from eye to lower operculum; a dark transverse bar across nape, followed by a second bar; dorsal fin with alternating yellow and brown bars; anal fin almost uniformly yellow.

Reaches 34 cm.

Rock and sand bottoms.

Depth range: 1-109 m.

Panama to Brazil.