Family: CENTRISCIDAE, Snipefish, Snipefishes

FAMILY CENTRISCIDAE

SNIPEFISHES

Body compressed, moderately elongate, oval; head compressed; eyes large; mouth small, at front of a long tubular snout; no teeth on jaws; no gill rakers; pectoral fin with oblique base, slightly below midline; 1st dorsal fin V-VIII, second spine greatly elongated, with serrated rear edge; 2nd dorsal fin and anal fin just before tail base; pelvics on abdomen; anal fin below 2nd dorsal; tail fin concave to convex; bony plates along flank above pectoral and sometimes along centerline of belly; body covered with small scales that have sharp ridges and spines.

A worldwide family in tropical to subtropical areas; 12 species in 3 genera; 2 species in 1 genus in the W Atlantic, one entering shallow water in our area.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER FRISTCHE (2002)