Western Pygmy Tuskfish

This species is distinguished by the following characters: D XII,8; A III,10; pectoral fin rays ii,13, the dorsalmost ray very short, 9.5-14.1% pectoral fin length and the ventralmost ray distinctly longer than those immediately above, posterior edge of fin falcate, dorsoposterior corner bluntly pointed, posteroventral corner sharply pointed; shallow body, 31.0-34.3% SL, head depth 24.3-28.5% SL, caudal peduncle depth 11.7-13.0% SL; bluntly pointed head, dorsal profile of snout is moderately steep, snout length 10.3-13.1% SL; predorsal scales approximately 6, reaching forward on dorsal midline almost to above posterior edge of preopercle; cheek has small partially embedded scales in about 3 or 4 diagonal rows, posteriormost with about 7 or 8 scales to upper extent of free preopercular edge, reaching ventrally to the level of posterior corner of upper jaw and forward little if at all beyond posterior extent of orbit, with very broad naked margin ventrally on preopercle; 1-3 rows of about 6-8 small scales (only 1 or 2 scales in second of 2 rows when present) on subopercle adjacent preopercular edge extending forward to about midpoint of ventral preopercular margin; each lateral line scale has a single pore on laterosensory canal tube; scales above lateral line about 2½-3; numerous cephalic sensory canal pores are scattered on top of head and anteroventral to eye and apparently not confined to lines or short branches associated with major canals; second pair of canines in lower jaw is directed dorsolaterally and curved laterally; dorsal and anal fins without basal sheath, additional small scale at top the of some oblique rows; posterior lobe of dorsal and anal fins not reaching hypural crease; caudal fin is truncate, often with posterior margin slightly convex medially; pelvic fin reaching to or just short of the anus, length 19.6-22.8% SL; colour uniformly pale in preservation except for the dusky horizontal stripe from just below lateral line under 8th dorsal fin spine to just beyond posterior end of dorsal fin near top of caudal peduncle (Ref. 116605).

Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 10; Vertebrae: 27