Species: Microdesmus carri, Stippled Wormfish

Microdesmus carri Gilbert, 1966

Stippled Wormfish

Slender, wormlike, body height 5-9% of SL; small conspicuous eyes on side of head; snout moderately blunt; interorbital about ½ eye diameter; front nostril a widely flared tube, rear a pore with raised rim; mouth strongly oblique, lower jaw heavy, protruding, strongly rounded; teeth in 2 rows, conical; tongue rounded; gill opening large (not tubular); one, long based continuous dorsal fin, XXIV-XXVII, 41-42, its origin before pectoral tip; anal fin 0, 34-40, origin under dorsal elements 33-38; dorsal and anal fins connected to tail fin; pectoral fins 13; pelvic fins minute, I, 3 rays, rays unbranched; tail fin rounded; scales minute, well separated, embedded, numerous, covering upper 2/3 of body; few scales on head; no lateral line.

Translucent, heavily stippled with small spots, especially along the top; belly white; 3 dark lines radiating from eye; a dark stripe along top of back; pigment along entire base of anal fin, and bases of last 5 dorsal rays.

Reaches: 5.9 cm.

Habitat: low to moderately saline lagoons on muddy and sandy bottoms.

Depth: 0-40 m.

SW Gulf of Mexico to the SW Caribbean.