Genus: Gillellus, Sand Stargazer, Sand Stargazers

GILLELLUS

SAND STARGAZERS

Body compressed, tapering to tail; head moderate size; eyes on top of head, not on stalks; tubular nostrils; mouth upturned, with a protruding lower jaw; lower lips only with skin flaps; upper part of operculum with a frill of skin flaps; dorsal and anal fins with long bases; dorsal fin origin on nape, before level of upper corner of operculum, in 2 sections, a finlet of III spines at front, sometimes I-II free spines behind that before main fin; pelvic fins inserted under throat, each with I, 3, rays thickened and free at the tips; tail fin with some branched rays; lateral line continuous, bends down just behind last dorsal spine; scales large, smooth; head, pectoral base and belly scaleless.

A neotropical genus with 10 species; the five species found in our region, 4 endemics and 1 W Atlantic.