Species: Peristedion imberbe, Tropical Slender Armored Searobin

Peristedion imberbe Poey, 1861

Tropical Slender Armored Searobin

Head and body flattened below, body completely covered in a heavy armor of 4 rows of bony spiny scales; body not rectangular, dimensions at anus < dimensions at head; narrow & strongly concave between eyes; head long, narrow; bony rim around sides of head very narrow, finely serrated, ends in a small, sharp spine; no spine at nostril, no spine at base of snout plates; snout very long; rostral plates narrow, moderately long; preopercular spine very short; opercular spine short; barbels: no long filamentous barbell; 5-7 thin lower lip barbells in 2 clusters; 21 (17-23) chin barbels in 6 clusters; gill rakers 4-5+20-23; dorsal fin divided into separate spiny and soft parts, VIII + 18-19, both parts low; anal fin without spines, 19; pectoral fin 12 + 2 free rays, 1st free ray longer than main fin; pelvic fins wide apart, below base of pectorals, I,5 rays.

Head and body reddish; eye yellow; fins pale pink with dark red edges; 1st dorsal tipped in white; pectorals with many fine wavy dark red bars.

Reaches 21 cm.

Found on sand/mud bottoms.

Depth range: 137- 457 m.

E Florida to Surinam.