Species: Lonchopisthus ancistrus, Hook Jawfish

Lonchopisthus ancistrus Smith-Vaniz & Walsh, 2017

Hook Jawfish

Elongate, compressed, tapering body; large bulbous head, eye large, high on side of head; mouth opens at front, large, extends to rear of eye; top jaw with top of rear end concave, strongly hooked; gill rakers 14-19+ 29-33; dorsal and anal fins with long bases; dorsal fin X-XI, 12 (12-13); anal fin III, 12 (11-12); pectoral 19-21; pelvic fins I, 5, long (39.4-75.3% SL), outer 2 rays stout and unbranched, inner 3 rays weaker and branched, fin base before the pectoral, not elongated; tail fin much longer than head, sharply pointed, 5-13 branched rays, no elongated free central fin rays; 33-39 longitudinal scale rows along body; cheeks & opercle not scaled; lateral line on front half of body only, high.

Body and fins dusky yellow; pelvics with elongate ray white; inside mouth pale.

Reaches 14.7 cm.

Probably lives in burrows on muddy bottoms.

Depth range: 110-220 m

The Gulf of Mexico to Honduras.