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Species: Peristedion greyae, Alligator Searobin, Alligator Armored Searobin

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face rim v rippled & serrated, ends in flat triangle
snout plates long, narrow
pectoral: dark bars + edge white
barbells: lip - 1 long filament + 4; chin 12-13
center rear back: spines 2-pointed

Peristedion greyae Miller, 1967

Alligator Searobin, Alligator Armored Searobin

Head and body flattened below, body completely covered in a heavy armor of 4 rows of bony spiny scales, those at rear of series along center of top of back with 2 spines; head moderately broad, snout moderately long; bony rim around side of head with edge serrated & rippled, with a strong concavity at preopercle, ending in a flat triangle; no spine at nostril, large spine at base of snout plates; rostral plates moderately long & narrow, slightly diverging; lower jaw with 2-3 separate serrated ridges; mouth barbels: lower lips with 1 moderately long (16-18% SL, not reaching to end of facial rim) filamentous barbell + 2 groups of 2 short slender barbells; 12-13 slender chin barbels in 5 clusters; gill rakers 5-7 +19-26; dorsal fin divided into separate spiny and soft parts, VIII + 18-20, both parts high; anal fin without spines, 18-20; pectoral fin 11-13 + 2 free rays, top free ray extends past anal fin origin; pelvic fins wide apart, below base of pectorals, I,5 rays; front edge of first spiny plate under belly behind front of bony pelvic girdle.

Head and body pink; fins with dark red edges; pectorals with multiple dark red to blackish bars, white borders; lining of gut cavity and roof of mouth not dark.

Reaches 28 cm.

Found on sand/mud bottoms, primarily continental.

Depth range: 180-1071 m.

Virginia to northern Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom only
  • Mud
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Bathydemersal
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic worms
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent only
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 28
Depth Range Min
  • 180
Depth Range Max
  • 1071