Species: Prionotus scitulus, Leopard Searobin

Prionotus scitulus Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Leopard Searobin

Snout long, sloping; no cirri over nostrils or eyes; mouth small, opens slightly under snout, lower jaw not projecting; 10-13 (usually 11) gill rakers; preopercular spine not reaching past edge of operculum; dorsal rays X, 12; anal rays 10; pectoral fins rounded, 13-14 joined rays, moderate, reaching to ~4th ray of anal fin, with 3 enlarged, free rays at bottom of fin; body scaled; chest and throat without scales; membrane above opercular spine with scales; nape with scales.

Upper body brown with red-brown spots, pale below; membranes under throat light; dorsal fin with 2 non-ocellated spots (between spines I-II, and IV-V); upper half of tail fin spotted; pectoral fin pale, with many red-brown spots.

Size: reaches 25 cm.

Habitat: Mud-sand bottoms, usually in bays.

Depth: 5-91 m, usually < 46 m.

Virginia to the Gulf of Mexico.