Species: Dactyloscopus poeyi, Shortchin Stargazer

Dactyloscopus poeyi Gill, 1861

Shortchin Stargazer

Body compressed, tapering to tail; head large, flattened above, rounded and narrow at front; eyes on top of head, distinctly stalked, stalks ~length of eye diameter or slightly longer,with/without a spot at tip; mouth upturned, with a protruding lower jaw, tip of lower jaw blunt when viewed from above; tubular nostrils; rear nostril a single pore near base of tubular front nostril; top jaw not reaching only under center of eye; both lips with skin flaps, usually 13-17 on top lip; operculum with 17-20 skin flaps; dorsal fin origin on nape, before level of upper corner of operculum, fin usually discontinuous, usually 2-3 free spines at front, XII-XIII (XI-XIV) spines, 28-29 (26-30) rays; anal fin II, 33 (32-35); 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;lateral line continuous, bends down under last dorsal spine; scales large, smooth, head and belly scaleless; 47 (45-48) pored scales; no scales on nape before dorsal fin; 3-4 rows of scales between lateral line and 1st dorsal spine, 1.5-2 rows under rest of spines.

Top and sides of head blotched with brown; upper body with 10-13 brownish bars between nape and tail fin base, often with indications of a dark stripe along mid flank; often pigment inside mouth.

Reaches 6 cm.

In sand bottoms in surgy areas.

Depth range: 0-10 m.

The Bahamas through the Caribbean.