Species: Cathorops dasycephalus, Big-bellied sea-catfish, Bigbelly sea-catfish, Broadhead sea-catfish, Cuate sea-catfish

Cathorops dasycephalus (Günther, 1864)

Bigbelly sea-catfish,     Big-bellied sea-catfish,     Broadhead sea-catfish,     Cuate sea-catfish

Body robust; eye 4.9-6.0 in head; head smooth to rough, with four prominent ridges extending forward, two parallel ridges in center plus two outer ridges, each diverging towards eye, ridges with coarse to sharp granules or tubercles; central groove on head narrow, long, at rear of head; bony process extending back from head shield along nape triangular, short, slightly longer than wide; 3 pairs of barbells (on chin and both jaws); gill opening restricted to sides by adhesion of gill membranes to breast; gill rakers 9, no rakers on posterior surface of first 2 archs; teeth on roof of mouth simple, in 4 patches,the inner patches well separated at midline and continuous with slightly larger and narrowly ovate outer patches, the outer patches with conical teeth, tooth patches considerably larger in females; jaw teeth in several rows, front teeth smaller than back; dorsal rays I, 7; adipose dorsal fin base longer than first dorsal fin base; anal rays 19-23; pectoral rays I, 10-11.