Myoxocephalus Tilesius, 1811
Body above lateral line naked or with bony plates, scutes or acute spinules. Head large and deep, covered with thick skin, without bony granulations, but with warty knobs or flaps of skin in some; sensory canals of head narrow, pores of canalicules small, but always visible; upper preopercular spine elongate, broad based, directed obliquely upward. Upper jaw projecting strongly; vomer toothed, palatines toothless, slit present behind fourth gill arch, even if only a roundish pore. Spinous dorsal fin about same height or a little greater than soft portion, no space between the 2 fins; pelvic fins rarely reaching to anus in males; soft rays of dorsal, pectoral and anal fins unbranched. Lateral line without bony plates, with 35-45 pores in 3 rows (middle row always present). No urogenital papilla. Vertebrae 32-39.
Coastal and shelf fishes, some tolerating low salinities but never found in freshwater, occurring over sand, mud or rocks. Feed on fishes and benthic invertebrates. Spawn in winter and spring; eggs demersal, guarded by males.
Species 12; in Clofnam area 2.
Recent revision: Neyelov (1979).
Species of this genus in the program:
Myoxocephalus scorpioides
Myoxocephalus scorpius