Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
Paralepididae | Lestidiops affinis | (Ege) | 1930 | (No Common Name) Barracudina |
Family Paralepididae — Small to medium-sized (6 to 56 cm), very elongate and slender aulopiform fishes; cross-section of body oval or compressed. Eye medium to large, nontubular, located on side of head. Snout very long and pointed with terminal mouth, but lower jaw projects as fleshy process; mouth extends to front of eye or under middle of eye. Teeth small; alternately fixed and depressible fang-like teeth on lower jaw and roof of mouth. Single small supramaxilla on dorsal edge of maxilla. Gill rakers reduced to small multiple spines set on bony plates.
Lestidiops affinis
Unique Characters: Body and head naked except for lateral line scales. Teeth of lower jaw well developed. Anal rays 26-32. No prominent black spot anterior to eye. Dorsal fin origin closer to pelvic fin insertion than to anal fin origin. Pelvic fin distinctly anterior to base of dorsal fin, horizontal distance between origin of dorsal fin and origin of pelvic fin usually greater than eye diameter.
Similar Species:
Duckbill Barracudina Magnisudis atlantica
(No Common Name) Barracudina Lestrolepis intermedia
Atlantic Barracudina Lestidium atlanticum
Duckbill Barracudina Magnisudis atlantica. Body and much of head covered with deciduous scales. Teeth of lower jaw minute or absent in adults.
(No Common Name) Barracudina Lestrolepis intermedia. Body and head naked except for lateral line scales. Teeth of lower jaw well developed. Anal fin rays 41-45. Prominent black spot immediately anterior to eye. Dorsal fin origin about equidistant between pelvic fin insertion and anal fin origin.
Atlantic Barracudina Lestidium atlanticum. Body and head naked except for lateral line scales. Teeth of lower jaw well developed. Anal rays 26-32. No prominent black spot anterior to eye. Dorsal fin origin closer to pelvic fin insertion than to anal fin origin. Pelvic fin near or ventral to base of dorsal fin, horizontal distance between origin of dorsal fin and origin of pelvic fin less than eye diameter.
References:
McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. 1998. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Volume 1. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX, pp. 590-603.
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