Species: Diapterus aureolus, Golden mojarra

Diapterus aureolus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)

Golden mojarra

Body oval (depth ~ 45% of SL), compressed; the lower profile of the head distinctively concave; the mouth highly extensible, pointing downward when protruded; lower border of preopercle finely serrated; bone under front of eye with smooth border; teeth inside throat all pointed; dorsal rays IX, 10, elevated at front, notched deeply to base between spines and rays, 2nd  spine longer than distance between tip of snout and rear of eye; anal rays III, 8, 2nd  spine relatively large, but shorter than fin base; pectoral reaches past level of anal fin origin; tail fin deeply forked; lateral line very high on side, well above longitudinal axis of body along all of body; scales on front of body enlarged, becoming much smaller on tail base, conspicuous and finely rough, covering most of head and body; dorsal and anal fins fold into a high scaly sheath along their bases; lateral-line scales 35-36.