Species: Dactyloscopus comptus, Ornamented Stargazer

Dactyloscopus comptus Dawson, 1982

Ornamented Stargazer

Body compressed, tapering to tail; head large, flattened above, slightly concave behind eye, rounded and narrow at front; eyes on top of head, distinctly stalked, but length of stalks only ~eye width, eye with a ring of translucent bumps or flaps at tip; mouth upturned, with a protruding lower jaw, top jaw reaching past eye; rear nostril a single pore near base of tubular front nostril; operculum and both lips with skin flaps, 9-22 on operculum, 11-12 (10-13) on top lip; 1st preopercular canal branched, with multiple pores on branches; canal pores on preoperculum 3-18; dorsal and anal fins with long bases; dorsal fin origin on nape, before level of upper corner of operculum, fin usually with II (I-III) free front spines, infrenquenly continuous, XI (X—XII) spines, 27 (25-28) rays; anal fin II, 28-30; pelvic fins inserted under throat, each with I, 3, rays thickened and free at the tips; no notch under lower edge of tail fin base; scales large, smooth; lateral line bends down under last dorsal spine, 43 (41-44) pored scales; 3-4 rows of scales on each side of nape before dorsal fin, center of nape scaleless; 3-4 rows of scales between lateral line and 1st dorsal spine, 1.5-2 row under rest of spines.

Pale, without prominent markings other than a black eye; inside mouth colorless.

Reaches 4.5 cm.

Lives in sand bottoms.

Depth range: 0-13 m, usually < 1.5 m.

The Bahamas to Puerto Rico.