Species: Dactyloscopus byersi, Byers' sand-stargazer, Notchtail stargazer
lip flaps: ~15, bottom ~21
rear nostril near front nostril
D ~28; A ~34
Dactyloscopus byersi Dawson, 1969
Notchtail stargazer, Byers' sand-stargazer
Body compressed, tapering to tail; head large, flattened above, rounded and narrow at front; eyes protrusible, on short stalks, without papillae; tubular nostrils, rear nostril opens near base of front nostril; both lips with skin flaps (branched in adult), 15 (13-18), strongly branched flaps on top lip, 21 (18-24) on lower lip; operculum with 17 (9-22) skin flaps; dorsal fin origin on nape, before level of upper corner of operculum, front IV (III-V) spines separate from fin and without membranes, XIV (XIII-XV), 28 (25-30); anal II, 34 (31-35); pectoral usually 13 rays; notch under end of tail base; tail fin long, rays unbranched; lateral line scales 47 (44-49); lateral line continuous, bends down under last dorsal spine; scales smooth, head and belly scaleless; 1 row of scales above upper front part of lateral line.
Nape & chin spotted or blotched, nape without T-shaped pale blotch; dorsal, anal and tail pale to shaded with brown; inside mouth unpigmented; 10-15 (up to 20) short dark saddles of varying lengths (absent in pale fish) along upper body, those joining a more or less distinct dark stripe along upper side, sides with faint central and lower stripes, with chevrons at rear.
Size: 8.3 cm.
Habitat: tide pools and coastal sandy areas.
Depth: 0-10 m.
The southeastern Gulf of California to Ecuador.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
-
- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Beach
- Soft bottom only
- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- No Data
- Diet
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- Bony fishes
- Data
- Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
- Mobile benthic worms
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
-
- No data
- Pelagic larva
- Benthic
- Global Endemism
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- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Mexican + Panamic provinces endemic
- All species
- Continent only
- TEP endemic
- Continent
- Continental TEP endemic
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 8.3
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 10
