Species: Zalieutes mcgintyi, Tricorn Batfish

Zalieutes mcgintyi (Fowler, 1952)

Tricorn Batfish

Head depressed, not elevated above disc; disc triangular; mouth small; short fishing pole in small cavity overhung by a cone-like rostrum with an equal-sized cone flaring out on each side (juveniles with a short horn), lure triangular, without lobes, usually 1-2 bumps on either side; gill rakers are long thin plates covered with teeth; no large spine at lower rear corner of operculum; gill openings small, behind upper base of pectoral fin; pectoral arm-like, not joined by membrane to body or tail base; dorsal and anal fins small, at rear of body; tail long; body covered with small and large tubercles, underside of tail covered with prickles and two rows of cones.

Brown on dorsal surface of head and body; whitish on ventral surface, large fish with a dark bar across body that extends through anal fin base; a diffuse dark area sometimes at base of dorsal fin.

Size: grows to 10 cm.

Inhabits sand and mud bottoms.

Depth: 90-660 m.

S Carolina to E Venezuela.