Common names: armored sea-robin (English), cabro (Espanol), cocodrilo (Espanol)
 
Peristedion barbiger Garman, 1899

Bearded armoured searobin

The head and body flattened below and completely covered in a heavy armor of bony plates and spines; bony shield covering head ends in an pointed wing; snout long and broad, extended in a pair of  short, broad bony plates that converge towards front; barbels below the lower jaw in a short, thick bush, 1 moderately short filamentous barbell + 21-26 short barbells;  no large spines on the preoperculum; dorsal fin divided into spiny and soft parts, VIII + 18; pectoral fin with main fin (11-13) plus 2 free rays below; anal fin without spines, 18-20; pelvic fins are wide apart, below base of pectorals, with I, 5 rays; lateral line plates 33.



Brick red body; fins pale translucent pinkish; outer 2/3 of first dorsal covered by a large black blotch.

Reaches 15.5 cm.

Habitat: on soft bottoms.

Depth 50-295 m.

Costa Rica to northern Peru; vagrant in the Galapagos.