Genus: Prognathodes, Butterflyfishes, Longnose Butterflyfish

PROGNATHODES

BUTTERFLYFISHES

Body a strongly compressed oval disc; mouth small, at end of a moderately long, pointed snout that is 1/3-1/2 head length; cheek bone free and smooth; teeth long and slender, brush-like, in bands on jaws; no strong spine on preopercle; dorsal fin with XIII spines, triangular shape, 3rd or 4th spine elongate, with notch between spiny and soft parts; 2nd anal spine longer than 3rd; rear edges of dorsal and anal fins vertical; tail edge straight to rounded; scales rough, covering head and body, a low scaly sheath on base of dorsal fin; lateral line in a high arch, incomplete (ends under dorsal fin), with 22-49 scales; with a large "axillary process" scale at the upper base of the pelvic fins.

A circumtropical genus of 11 species; three species, one endemic and 2 W Atlantic species occur in the Greater Caribbean.