Species: Paroncheilus affinis, Bigtooth Cardinalfish

Paroncheilus affinis (Poey, 1875)

Bigtooth Cardinalfish

Body oblong, compressed; head large, snout short; eye large; moderately large oblique mouth that opens at the front; top jaw wide, partly concealed when mouth is closed, scaleless; lower jaw strongly projecting; both jaws with a row of small teeth interspersed with several canines, front of roof of mouth with several short canines, sides of roof of mouth with a band of small teeth; preopercle serrated, lower membranous flap not extending beyond edge of preoperculum; 14 (13-15) lower gill rakers; dorsal fin VI+I, 9; anal fin II, 9; pectoral 12 (rarely 13); inner pelvic ray mostly not attached to body; tail fin usually concave; body scales smooth to weakly rough; scales present on center of nape before dorsal fin; lateral line with ~24 pored scales, the last few on the tail fin; lateral line scales not larger than body scales; lateral line complete, extends onto base of tail fin.

Translucent salmon to bronze; lower head and belly silvery; an indistinct dark stripe from top of mouth through eye to top corner of operculum; tail may have a dark rear edge

Reaches 11 cm.

Reefs.

Depth range: 15-300 m, usually 20-90 m.

E and W Atlantic; the Gulf of Mexico to Suriname.

Note: Mouthbrooding is done by both sexes rather than just males.