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| Common names: mojarra (English), mojarra (Espanol), palmito (Espanol) |
Diapterus peruvianus (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830)
Peruvian mojarra, Short-snout mojarra
Body rhomboidal (depth ~ 50% of SL), compressed; the lower profile of the head distinctively concave; the mouth highly extensible, pointing downward when protruded; lower border of preopercle finely serrated; bone under front of eye with smooth border; teeth inside throat all pointed; dorsal rays IX, 10, elevated at front, slight notch between spiny and soft dorsal, 2nd spine longer than distance between tip of snout and rear of eye; anal rays III, 8, second spine very long and thick; dorsal and anal fin lobes long; pectoral fins relatively long, reaching slightly beyond anal fin origin; tail fin deeply forked, with long pointed lobes; lateral line along longitudinal axis of tail base; scales on front of body not larger than those at rear, conspicuous and finely rough, covering most of head and body; dorsal and anal fins fold into a high scaly sheath along their bases; lateral-line scales 37-40.
Overall silvery, pelvic and anal fins yellowish.
Size: to 38 cm.
Inhabits sandy bays and estuaries, including brackish lower parts of streams.
Depth: 0-30 m?
Southern Baja and the lower 2/3 of the Gulf of California to Peru, and the Galapagos and Revillagigedos.