Species: Opsanus tau, Oyster toadfish

Opsanus tau (Linnaeus, 1766)

Oyster toadfish

Head and front of body moderately depressed; head wide (24.6-36.6% of SL), with many barbells, especially around lower jaw; 2 solid spines on upper opercle and 1 below those; teeth molar-like to pointed, but no canines; gill openings restricted to side, before pectoral fin base; dorsal fin with 3 solid spines, spiny and soft parts joined, soft part 26 (25-26) rays; anal fin 19-22 rays; dorsal and anal fins not joined to tail fin; pectoral rays usually 20-21, discrete glands between upper pectoral rays on inner surface of fin; a pore opening to surface at rear of base of pectoral fin; 2 lateral lines, no light organs; body without scales.

Pale grey brown; inside mouth not dark; dark under eye, an oblique dark stripe from eye to lower corner of operculum, a dark stripe back from eye to top corner of operculum; sides and belly with blackish reticulations, or finely mottled, no round light spots; dorsal, anal, tail and pectoral fins with distinct light bars, those continuous and not formed by rows of light spots.

Reaches 47.4 cm.

Inshore on rocky bottoms; marine to brackish water.

Depth range: 0.5-5 m.

Maine to Florida.