Common names: sand-stargazer (English), miraestrella de arena (Espanol), miracielo de arena (Espanol)
Dactyloscopus lacteus (Myers & Wade, 1946)
Milky sand-stargazer
Body compressed, tapering to tail; head large, flattened above, rounded and narrow at front; eyes protrusible, on long stalks, without papillae; both lips with skin flaps, 6-12 on top lip; tubular nostrils, rear nostril near center of preorbital bone; dorsal fin origin on nape, before level of upper corner of operculum, front III spines separate from fin and without membranes, X-XIII, 24-28; anal II, 28-31; pectoral usually 13 rays; notch under end of tail base; tail fin long, rays unbranched; lateral line scales 41-45; lateral line continuous, bends down under last dorsal spine; scales smooth, head and belly scaleless; no scales above front part of lateral line.
Body color variable, from pale, almost unmarked fish to strongly colored ones; inside of mouth unpigmented; large T-shaped pale blotch separating dark bars on nape and through eyes; 7-9 narrow dark saddles along dorsal fin base; flank with two stripes; dorsal, anal and tail shaded with brown; dark blotch at tail base.
Size: 6 cm.
Habitat: coastal sandy areas and tide pools.
Depth: 1-10 m.
Cocos Is and the Galapagos. |
