Species: Ophioscion simulus, Snub-nosed croaker

Ophioscion simulus Gilbert in Jordan & Evermann, 1898

Snub-nosed croaker

Body elongate, more or less compressed; head low and short, cavernous but firm to touch on top; eye 4.7 in head length; snout bulbous; small oblique mouth; teeth simple in bands, those in outer row of upper jaw slightly enlarged; snout with 8-12 pores; chin with 5 pores, without barbels; gill rakers short (< ½ length of gill filaments at angle of arch), 21-22; margin of preopercle with 14-16 weak spines, largest at angle; dorsal fin continuous but deeply notched, X + I, 26, second dorsal spine strong, long; anal rays II, 7, 2nd  spine long & thick; pectoral fins reaching to about level of depressed pelvic fin tips or slightly beyond; tail margin S shaped or rounded; scales on body and all or most of head rough; inner 2/3 of soft dorsal and anal with a scaly sheath; pored lateral-line scales 51.