Species: Dactylagnus mundus, Giant sand-stargazer
D X, 31
A 38
Dactylagnus mundus Gill, 1863
Giant sand-stargazer
Body compressed, tapering to tail; head large, deep, bluntly rounded at front, lower jaw not pointed; both lips with skin flaps, 12-21 on top lip; eyes not stalked; tubular nostrils; top corner of operculum with fringe of 8-17 slender flaps; dorsal fin continuous, origin usually behind anal origin, X (VIII-XII), 31 (28-34); anal II, 35-41 (usually 38); pectoral broad-based, long, 14-16 (usually 15) rays; tail fin with 10 branched rays; tail base without notch underneath; lateral line continuous, bends down under 6th-8th dorsal spine; scales smooth, 2-3 rows between apex of lateral line arch and dorsal fin; head and belly scaleless; lateral line scales 52 (48-56), 33-39 on straight part.
Color variable; upper body light tan to brownish, flecked, without strongly defined bars or blotches; white below, abdomen and side of head silvery; either 4-5 indistinct bars between eyes and dorsal fin, or spotted, or with dense reticulations; inside mouth pigmented; dorsal and tail and upper pectoral shaded to spotted; juveniles with 12-14 bars on upper back, series of distinct blotches just above midline of side.
Size: 16.5 cm.
Habitat: beaches and sandy areas.
Depth: 0.5-15 m.
Central Baja California and the Gulf of California to Panama; doubtfully in the Galapagos.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
-
- Bottom only
- Bottom
- Habitat
-
- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom only
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
-
- No Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
-
- No Data
- Mobile benthic worms
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
- Bony fishes
- Egg Type
-
- Benthic
- No data
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- 3 provinces (Cortez + Mexican + Panamic) endemic
- Continent only
- All species
- Continent
- Continental TEP endemic
- TEP endemic
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
-
- Not listed
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 15
- Length Max
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- 16.5
