Species: Citharichthys macrops, Spotted Whiff

Citharichthys macrops Dresel, 1885

Spotted Whiff

Body a relatively deep (50-53% of SL) oval; eyes on left side, close-set, separated by a long, narrow, concave ridge; mouth medium length (upper jaw 39-44% of head length), ends under lower eye; teeth ~equally developed on both sides of jaws, in 1 series of fixed teeth on each jaw, front teeth enlarged, no canines; edge of operculum on blind side with many leaf-like cirri; gill rakers long and slender, 5-6 + 13-16; 79-82 dorsal fin rays; anal fin 59-63 rays; pectoral fins on both sides of body, with branched rays; pelvics symmetrically positioned on belly, base of eye-side fin on body midline, short bases, fin with 6 rays; tail fin bluntly pointed; 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 smooth to weakly rough, 37-44 on lateral line.

Pale yellowish brown; body and fins heavily covered with regularly arranged spots and blotches; often a pair of dark spots near the base of the tail fin.

Reaches 20 cm.

Lives on hard sand bottoms, typically found on marine beaches, rarely in estuaries.

Depth range: 1-100 m.

Chesapeake Bay to Brazil.