Jack Dempsey
(Rocio octofasciata)
Image source: Benoît Segerer | inaturalist.org
General data
North and Central America: Atlantic slope from southern Mexico (Papaloapán River) to Honduras (Ulua River).
Max length: 25 cm TL; common length : 7.5 cm TL
Dorsal spines (total): 17 - 19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 8-9; Anal soft rays: 7 - 9.
This species has spots on sides smaller than scales, aligned in about 15 regular series (vs. not clearly aligned); abdomen predominantly whitish or greyish in life (similar to R. gemmata, vs. reddish in R. ocotal; ventral angle of articular is acute (vs. right); the first neural spine oriented rostrad (vs. caudad); circumpeduncular scales as few as 17 (vs. always more than 19); distance from the caudal esophageal loop in gut to esophagus always greater than 24% gut length (vs. less than 16%) (Ref. 74403). There are no unique autapomorphies.
