Species: Kathetostoma albigutta, Lancer Stargazer

Kathetostoma albigutta Bean, 1892

Lancer Stargazer

Body short, thick, tapering to rear; head large, square, top horizontal, some of bones with spines; eye large, on top of head; mouth large, vertical, lips with fringe of papillae; chin without converging bony ridges; front nostril a short tube, with a branched tentacle at its rear edge; rear nostril a pore before eye; preopercle with 3 spines on its lower corner; a large venomous spine at upper edge of operculum; dorsal fin at rear, without spines; 12-15 rays; anal 0, 12-17; tail rounded; pectoral broad, rounded, 13-16 rays; pelvics narrow; no scales.

Black, greenish-brown to grey above, paler below; eye-sized white spots with dark edges on body; dorsal fin whitish, with 2-3 oblique black bars; tail fin whitish, with 2-5 elongate black blotches.

Size: 28 cm.

Habitat: benthic on soft bottoms.

Depth range: 40-430 m.

North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico, northern Cuba