Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

Español  Contact

Species: Bellator brachychir, Shortfin searobin

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

snout plates v short
no nasal spines
eye: no tentacle
short spine over pectoral base
C: 2 red bars
mouth reaches past front eye
pectoral: 1st free ray >> fin, dark blotch, rear edge white
chest no scales

Bellator brachychir (Regan, 1914)

Shortfin searobin

Snout blunt; spiny projections at front of snout very short, blunt, with short triangular forward-projecting plates; mouth large, reaches past front edge of eye; eye large; no flaps or tentacles over eye; no spines around nostrils; spine behind top corner of operculum short; dorsal fin XI, no elongate spines, 11-12; anal 11-12 (usually 11) rays; pectoral fins short, 12 joined rays, reaching origin of anal fin, with 3 enlarged, free rays at bottom of fin, 1st free ray distinctly longer than fin itself; breast without scales; 62-70 lateral line scales; membrane above opercular spine without scales; nape not scaled.

Upper half brown, lower ½ white; dorsal fin brown, with a black spot between spines IV-V or V-VI; pectoral with rear edge light, rays 3-5 with elongate black blotch; tail fin with 2 dark reddish bars; pelvics and anal fins white.

Size: 19 cm.

Habitat: sand and mud bottoms.

Depth: 27-366 m, usually 137-275 m.

N Carolina to Uruguay.


High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore Only
  • Inshore
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Soft bottom only
  • Sand & gravel
  • Mud
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Carnivore
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Zooplankton
  • Pelagic fish larvae
  • Pelagic fish eggs
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
  • Data
Global Endemism
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • All species.
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Also in Brazil
  • All species..
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Continent only
  • Extends North of GC
  • Continent
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 19
Depth Range Min
  • 27
Depth Range Max
  • 366