PTERELEOTRIDAE


Ptereleotris evides, 4.1 cm SL
(photo by Richard Winterbottom)


Ptereleotris evides
(Jordan and Hubbs, 1925)
Blackfin Dartfish

D VI + I, 23-26; A I, 23-26; P1 21-24; LR ca. 150; PDS 0.

Body elongate, compressed. Head compressed; lower jaw projecting anteriorly beyond upper jaw; chin without barbels; gill opening wide, extending anteriorly to slightly beyond a vertical line through middle of operculum. No elongate spines on first dorsal fin; pelvic fins separated; caudal fin emarginate. Scales on body small, cycloid (weak ctenoid scales may be present on posterior part of body), mostly embedded and non-imbricate; head naked. Sensory canals and pores present on head; reduced transverse pattern of sensorypapillae rows on cheek. Color: head and anterior part of body pale gray, turned to blackish gray on posterior part of body; ovoid black spot at ventral part of caudal-fin base in juvenile and young. Size: 10.1 cm SL. Distribution: Indo-Pacific. Remarks: found in shallow coral reefs; free swimming species, usually found in pairs or aggregations.