Estuary Filefish

Body width 1.9-2.5 in head length; body depth 2.0-2.8 in SL; head length 2.6-3.0 in SL; snout length 3.7-4.3 in SL; eye diameter 2.7-3.8 in head length. Head and body pale, with three wide, darker but rather indistinct stripes on body, first from eye to anterior half of soft dorsal base, second from above gill opening, continuing posteriorly to rear half of soft dorsal base, and third curving up from ventral flap, extending along midside of body to caudal peduncle; two prominent dark blotches separated by a pale wedge-shaped bar below anterior portion of soft dorsal fin; caudal fin with dusky basal blotch, followed by two dark curved cross bands.

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26 - 29; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 27 - 30; Vertebrae: 19

Inhabits muddy substrates in estuaries and usually found near algae rubble reef (Ref. 48637). Also found in sand bottoms of trawling grounds in 10-50 m (Ref. 90102).