Family: PERISTEDIIDAE, Armored Sea-Robins, Armored-Gurnards
snout flat, 2 long extensions
FAMILY PERISTEDIIDAE
ARMORED SEA-ROBINS, ARMORED-GURNARDS
The head and body flattened below and completely covered in a heavy armor of bony plates and spines; snout extended in a bony two-pointed rostrum; barbels below the lower jaw; dorsal fin VII-VIII + 17-20, divided into spiny and soft parts; pectoral fin with main fin (11-13) plus 2 free rays below; anal fin without spines; pelvic fins are wide apart, below base of pectorals, with I, 5 rays.
Armored sea fobins are bottom fishes that live at moderate depths in tropical and temperate areas. As with the related Gurnards (Triglidae) armoured sea robins walkthe sand and mud bottoms using the lower two rays of their pectoral fins.
There are four genera and about 40 known species in the family. In our area there is one circumglobal genus with four endemic species, two of which enter shallow water.
