Species: Citharichthys valdezi, Venezuelan Whiff

Citharichthys valdezi Cervigón, 1986

Venezuelan Whiff

Body moderately deep (45-50% of SL); eyes on left side, close-set, only a narrow bony crest between them; lower head profile angular; mouth large, ends under lower eye; teeth ~equally developed on both sides of jaws, fixed teeth in 1 series on each jaw, no canines; gill rakers mainly long and slender, 3-5+ 7-9, upper rakers very short; edge of operculum on blind side without cirri; 78-86 dorsal fin rays, origin of fin before upper eye; anal fin 60-66 rays; pectoral fin on both sides of body, with branched rays, 1st ray small, <1/2 length of 2nd; pelvic fins symmetrically positioned on belly, base of eye-side fin on body midline, short bases; 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 large, rough on both sides, 42-45 on lateral line.

Preserved fish: brown above, white below.

Reaches 8.4 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms.

Depth range: 1-75 m.

Panama to Venezuela.