Species: Callionymus bairdi, Lancer Dragonet

Callionymus bairdi (Jordan, 1888)

Lancer Dragonet

Elongate, somewhat depressed; side of belly without a longitudinal skin fold; a small mouth that angles down when open, with a protrusible top jaw; eye large, directed to side; preoperculum with a large spine that has a lower, forward pointing spine and 3-9 spines along its upper, rear edge; but no spines or the operculum; gill openings small and high on the shoulder; two dorsal fins, IV flexible spines + 9 unbranched soft rays, all spines elongate, forming a flag-like fin; anal fin with 8 rays and no spines; pectorals large, rounded; pelvics insert under preopercular spine, large, reach past anal fin origin in males; tail fin relatively short, bluntly rounded; lateral line complete, extends onto tail fin; no scales.

Light grey with pale red-brown mottling; 1st dorsal fin of male yellowish grey, with reticulating dark lines and spots; 1st dorsal of female yellow on front 1/4, black on rear 3/4; yellow-brown centered bars on cheeks and jaws.

Reaches 11.4 cm.

Lives on sand/rubble bottoms around reefs and in seagrass beds.

Depth range: 1-91 m.

N Carolina to Brazil.