Species: Citharichthys cornutus, Horned whiff

Citharichthys cornutus (Gunther, 1880)

Horned whiff

Body relatively deep (46-51% of SL); female with a small spine on snout, male with a large spine projecting forwards on snout, 1-2 spines from rim of each eye, 1 small spine from rear end of lower jaw; eyes on left side, relatively large (39-44% of head length), lower eye forward, close-set in female, separated by about 1/2 eye diameter in male; mouth medium length (upper jaw 39-44% of head length), ends under center of lower eye; teeth ~equally developed on both sides of jaws, in 1 series of fixed teeth on each jaw, front teeth enlarged, no canines; gill rakers long and slender, 3-5+11-15; dorsal fin 74-84 rays; anal fin 59-67 rays; pectoral fins on both sides of body, with branched rays, eye side fin of male with 1st ray greatly elongated; pelvics symmetrically positioned on belly, base of eye-side fin on body midline, short bases, 6 rays; tail fin rounded; urinary papilla on blind side, immediately behind anus; lateral line well developed on both sides, eye-side line ~straight, from edge of opercle to tail base, no branch under lower eye; scales rough on eye side, smooth on blind side, 40-45 on lateral line; snout partly covered with scales.