Species: Ophioscion panamensis, Panama croaker

Ophioscion panamensis Schultz 1945

Panama croaker

Body oblong, robust, with humped back; head low and short, cavernous but firm to touch on top; snout slightly overhangs small, horizontal mouth; teeth on lower jaw simple, in bands; chin without barbel; snout with 8 pores; chin with 3 pairs of pores (inner pair minute, in a depression); gill rakers 6-7 + 11-14, short; preopercle with 8-9 small spines; top corner of gill opening notched; dorsal rays X + I, 19-21; pelvic fins with filamentous first ray; anal rays II, 6-7, 2nd spine stout and long; pectoral fin 22-23% SL; tail fin long, bluntly pointed; scales on body and all or most of head rough; soft dorsal and anal fins with 1-2 rows of scales along their bases and small scales on membranes for 3/4 distance from base; the lateral line extends to the center of the end of the tail fin; lateral line pores 47-49