Genus: Scatophagus, Spotted Butterfish, Spotted Scat, Spotted Scats

SCATOPHAGUS

SPOTTED SCATS, SPOTTED BUTTERFISH

Body quadrangular, strongly compressed; upper head profile steep; eye large, a little smaller than snout; snout rounded; mouth small, horizontal, not protractile; teeth simple, conical, in several rows on jaws; gill membrane forms a free fold across isthmus of throat under gills; dorsal fin XI, 16-18, 1st spine points forwards, a deep notch between spines and soft rays; anal fin IV, 13-16; rear edges of dorsal and anal fins ~vertical; tail fin rounded, truncate; pectoral fins 16-17; pelvic fins I, 5; head, body, caudal fin, and soft parts of anal and dorsal fins covered with small ctenoid scales; body greenish or silvery with black spots or bars; sometimes juveniles and adults with different color patterns.

Indo-west Pacific, two species.