IDENTIFICATION

Head Pores - Oculoscapular canal with pores B', D(large), F, H'; preopercle canal with two pores.

Scales - 43-50, scales on sides extending forward almost to pectoral axil, absent on dorsum below anterior portion of spinous dorsal fin; scales cycloid with exception of patch of large ctenoid scales on caudal peduncle (Birdsong 81)

Fins - D1 - VII, slightly produced in males not in females; D2 - 16(15-17); pectoral - 21-22(19-23); anal - 16-17(15-17)

Head - Nuchal crest absent in males, well developed in females

Papillae -

Color - Male , preserved color: body and head pale brown with posterior scale margins darkened; 2 - 3 broad bars beneath appressed pectoral fin. Spinous dorsal fin with dusky base, a median, vertically elongate, dusky spot in each interradial membrane (often extending to distal margin); spots seperated from base by a hyaline stripe; soft dorsal fin dusky with 1-2 irregular, median, hyaline stripes; pectoral fins dusky; pelvic fins with dusky medial interradial membanes; anal fin disky paler along base, with a supramarginal row of dark spots in the interradial membranes and a hyaline distal margin; caudal fin dusky with 1-2 irregular hyaline spots near upper caudal base and often with 2-3 dark spots along lower caudal margin (Birdsong 81)

Females pigmented as in males except - body lacking pale bars beneath appressed pectoral fin; spinous dorsal fin dusky with median, hyaline stripe and one to three black spots in dustal portion of interradial membranes four through six; anal fin dusky with hyaline distal margin; caudal fin without spots along lower caudal margin. (Birdsong 81)

life colors: from Jordan & Eigenmann - head and body is overlaid by a brilliant green luster.. Three translucent bars.. Crossing body close behind head; head with 2 brilliant narrow blue and green lines running obliquely across cheek below eye. Dorsal whitish with 2-3 lengthwise series of large reddish-brown spots.. Upper caudal rays marked with red. (Birdsong 81)

Distribution - Chesapeake Bay to Cape Canaveral, Florida; n Gulf of Mexico to Galveston, Texas (absent from se Florida, Florida Keys)

Habitat - muddy sand or mud bottoms habitats in FL, sometime in tidepools with M. gulosus; Chesapeake Bay found in mud and oyster habitats often in association with the sponge Microciona (Schwatz, 1971), wide range of tolerance to salinity 1.0-33.0 ppt (birdsong 81)

Notes -