Species: Prognathodes guyanensis, Guyana Butterflyfish

Prognathodes guyanensis (Durand, 1960)

Guyana Butterflyfish

Body a strongly compressed oval disc; mouth small, at end of a moderately long, pointed snout; cheek bone free and smooth; teeth long and slender, brush-like, in bands on jaws; dorsal fin XIII, 19, fin triangular, with front spines longest, membranes between anterior dorsal spines deeply incised; anal rays III, 15, 2nd anal spine longer than 3rd; pectoral rays 13; rear edges of dorsal and anal fins vertical; tail edge straight to rounded; scales rough, covering head and body, a low scaly sheath on base of dorsal fin; lateral line in a high arch, incomplete (ends under dorsal fin), with 37-41 scales; with a large "axillary process" scale at the upper base of the pelvic fins.

Pale yellow to white; 3 oblique black bars - 1 from front of dorsal fin through eye (becomes orange before eye), 1 from middle of spinous dorsal to soft anal, 1 from upper end of spinous dorsal to lower end of soft dorsal.

Size: grows to 15 cm.

Habitat: rocky reefs.

Depth range: 60 - 302 m.

North Carolina to Guyana.