Species: Rypticus saponaceus, Greater Soapfish

Rypticus saponaceus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Greater Soapfish

Body elongate, very compressed; forehead oblique; 2 pairs of nostrils, anterior tubular; snout long, 6-9% SL; rear of top jaw exposed when mouth closed, without accessory bone above it; lower jaw prominently projecting, with a fleshy knob at front; pores on lower jaw & preopercle small, numerous, in patches; simple teeth in bands on jaws; 2-3 spines on preopercle; 3 spines on operculum; gill opening restricted above, most of upper part of operculum bound to body by skin; preopercle with 1-3 spines, opercle with (usually 2) 2-3 spines; 7-9 gill rakers; dorsal fin III, 23-26 (usually 24); anal fin 0, 16-18 (usually 17); pectoral rays 14-17 (usually 16); median fins thick, fleshy; rounded tail and pectoral fins; scales imbedded.

Body dark brown to grey-brown, covered with numerous irregularly distributed small pale blotches.

Size: to 35 cm.

Inhabits rocky and coral reefs in silty to clearwater conditions, and adjacent soft bottoms; not uncommonly encountered in the open during the day.

Depth: 0-213 m.

The W and E Atlantic; N Carolina to Brazil.