Family: Antigoniidae, Boarfish, Boarfishes

FAMILY ANTIGONIIDAE

BOARFISHES

Body deep, rhomboidal, strongly compressed; upper and lower body profiles convex; head small, with radiating bony ridges; forehead profile concave; a distinct crest along nape; eyes large; mouth small, oblique, opens at front, top jaw protrusible; dorsal fin continuous, VIII-IX spines, 3rd longest; anal fin II-III spines, 1st longest, spines separate from rays; soft dorsal and anal fins with long bases, scaly sheaths; pectoral fins bluntly pointed, with I spine, 12-13 rays; pelvic fins I, 5; tail fin bluntly straight to rounded; scales with a toothed keel at rear + small teeth.

Circumglobal; one genus with 17 species; two in our area but only one worldwide species entering shallow water there.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER PARIN (2002)