Common names: stardrum (English), chinita (Espanol), corvinilla (Espanol), mojarilla (Espanol)
 
Stellifer illecebrosus Gilbert in Jordan & Evermann, 1898


Silver stardrum,     Charcoal stardrum



Body elongate, back high, more or less compressed; head large, low and broad, skull cavernous, translucent, but firm to touch, wide between eyes; eye 4.1-5.0 in head length;  snout blunt, projecting slightly beyond upper jaw; mouth opens under snout, slight oblique; teeth in villiform bands, those in outer row of upper jaw enlarged; chin with 6 pores, front pair in a hole, no barbells; snout with 8 pores; margin of preopercle with 9-12 serrae or spines; gill rakers long and slender, 17-21; dorsal rays X-XI + II-III, 18-22, deep notch between spiny and soft parts of dorsal fin; anal fin with short base II, 11-12 (rarely 10), 2nd  spine strong, 2/3 length of 1st  ray; pelvic fins with a filament; tail margin with short blunt point; scales rough on body and head, smooth on snout, around eyes and on fins; soft dorsal and anal fins covered with smooth scales; lateral line pores 47-51.


Silvery, bluish grey on upper back; dorsal fin dusky; caudal fin dusky with yellow tinge; pectorals, pelvics, and anal yellowish.

Size: grows to at least 25 cm.

Inhabits coastal waters.

Depth: 1-30 m?

SE Gulf of Californian to Peru.