Species: Stellifer fuerthii, White stardrum

Stellifer fuerthii (Steindachner, 1876)

White stardrum

Body elongate, more or less compressed; head large, low and broad, skull cavernous, translucent, but firm to touch, slightly concave over and wide between eyes; eye 3.7-4.5 in head length; snout blunt, projecting slightly beyond upper jaw; mouth opens under snout, slight oblique; teeth in villiform bands, those in outer row of upper jaw enlarged; chin with 6 pores, no barbells; snout with 8 pores; margin of preopercle with 2 strong spines at angle, lower one directed down and forwards; gill rakers long and slender, 31-39; dorsal rays IX-XI + I-II, 22-26, deep notch between spiny and soft parts of dorsal fin; anal fin with short base II, 8-9, 2nd  spine strong, > 80% length of 1st  ray; pelvic fins with a filament; tail margin with short blunt point or rounded; scales rough on body, smooth on head, breast and fins; soft dorsal and anal fins covered with smooth scales; 5-6 transverse rows of scales between front of dorsal fin and lateral line; lateral line pores 47-51.