Brown-spotted spinefoot's description
Short description - Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. Indian Ocean subspecies. S. s. laqueus greyish green with head and body covered with chocolate brown spots; in S. s. stellatus, background color is yellowish. Trailing edges of soft parts of dorsal and anal fins, perimeter of caudal fin and a saddle over the caudal peduncle are markedly paler than the rest. Silvery iris, tinted brown or green, with 10 equally spaced spots. Spines stout; pungent only in juveniles. Preopercular angle 92°-103°. Strong scales cover the cheeks. Usually midline of thorax fully scaled, but pelvic ridges sometimes without scales.
