Species: Nandopsis tetracanthus, Cuban Cichlid

Nandopsis tetracanthus (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1831)

Cuban Cichlid

Body oblong, compressed; head long, upper profile oblique, snout bluntly pointed; 1 pair of nostrils; mouth large, wide, protractile, top jaw reaches to under front of eye, lower jaw projecting; few teeth on jaws, outer row conical, canines at front of top (1 pair) and lower (2 pairs) jaws; 8-10 gill rakers; dorsal fin not notched between spines and rays, XV (XIV-XVI), 10-12, soft fin higher than spiny part; anal fin IV, 8-10; pectoral short, not reaching to origin of anal fin; tail fin rounded to bluntly straight; scales large, rough, 28-31 in lateral series; bases of soft dorsal, anal and tail fins scaled; lateral line in 2 straight overlapping sections.

Body and fins grey, heavily patterned with black spots, those coalescing to form irregular lines on operculum and upper front back, and sometimes on rest of body as well.

Reaches 24 cm.

Primarily freshwater but also brackish water, including mangroves.

Depth range: 0-3 m?

Cuba and the Isle of Pines.