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Species: Porichthys ephippiatus, Saddle midshipman

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back: ~ 5 saddles
outer D: 11 dark blotches
A & C: margins clear, A: 26-30
D & A not joined to C
lower gill rakers: 7-9
lower LL ends ~ 5 pores behind its line of light organs
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This Species (3) This Genus (8) Similar Species (5)

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Porichthys ephippiatus Walker & Rosenblatt, 1988

Saddle midshipman

Body compressed, elongate; head a little flattened above, no tentacles;one solid spine on opercle; no subopercular spines; teeth like canines; 8 (7-9) lower gill rakers;  first dorsal fin 2 solid spines, separate from second dorsal fin; second dorsal 31-32 rays; anal rays 28 (26-30; dorsal and anal fins not joined to tail; no scales; 4 lateral lines on body with light organs; lower lateral line ends ~ 5 pores BEHIND same line of light organs.

With 5 (4-6) dark saddles on back; occasionally spots on head and nape; dorsal fin with up to 11 dark blotches along outer half, up to 7 forming bars; tail pale, with blotches occasionally, no dark border; anal fin clear; pectoral dusky on outer part of upper rays and upper base.

Size: 13.5 cm.

Habitat: sandy and muddy bottoms.

Depth: 15-245 m.

Mouth of the Gulf of California to Guatemala.

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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Mud
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • No Data
Diet
  • No Data
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • No data
  • No pelagic larva
  • No pelagic phase
  • Benthic
Global Endemism
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
  • All species
  • East Pacific endemic
Regional Endemism
  • TEP endemic
  • Continent
  • Continent only
  • Continental TEP endemic
  • All species
  • Cortez + Mexican provinces endemic
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
  • Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 13.5
Depth Range Min
  • 15
Depth Range Max
  • 245