Splitnose Searobin, Bellator xenisma

The Splitnose Searobin, Bellator xenisma, is a member of the Searobin or Triglidae Family, that is also known as the Shovelnose Gurnard and in Mexico as vaca doble hocico. Globally, there are eight species in the genus Bellator, of which six are found in Mexican waters, three in the Atlantic and three in the Pacific Ocean.

The Splitnose Searobin has a rectangular block-like body that are mottled reddish brown in color with white undersides. Their large square bony head is covered with many ridges and spines. Their anal fin has a wide dark red marginal band, their caudal fin is black with a central white bar and a dark spot on the lower lobe, and their pelvic fins are transparent. They have a prominent ocellus spot between the fourth and fifth dorsal spines. Their pectoral fins are dark. Their mouth is small and their jaw does not reach eye level. Their snout has a pair of prolonged snout plates that form a “scalloped” shovel-shaped extension on each side of the snout tip. Their anal fin has 11 rays; their first dorsal fin has 10 or 11 spines with the first spine being the longest (a key to identification); their second dorsal fin has 10 or 11 rays; and their pectoral fins have 12 rays and are short but reach the anal fin, with the first 2 or 3 being detached. Their body is covered with rough scales.

The Splitnose Searobin is are found over and within sandy and muddy bottoms at depths between 17 m (55 feet) and 200 m (655 feet). They reach a maximum 17.5 cm (6.9 inches) in length. They are more active and feed at night; during the day they are found submerged in sand. The Splitnose Searobin  is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.

The Splitnose Searobin is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited distribution being found from Todos Santos, Baja California Sur southward along the extreme southwest coast of Baja (as established by the fish photographed above), throughout the Sea of Cortez, and along the coast of the mainland south to Guatemala.

The Splitnose Searobin is most likely confused with the Chevron Searobin, Bellator loxias (yellow and orange bars on flank) or the Nakedbelly Searobin, Bellator gymnostethus (short first dorsal spine).

From a conservation perspective the Splitnose Searobin is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. Due to their small stature and rarity, they are of limited interest to most. They are a frequent by-catch of deepwater shrimp trawlers around the tip of Baja.