| Freckled soapfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Grammistidae |
| Genus: | Rypticus |
| Species: | R. bistrispinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Rypticus bistrispinus (Mitchill, 1818) | |
Rypticus bistrispinus, also known as the freckled soapfish, is a species of soapfish native to the western Atlantic Ocean. [1] Like other soapfishes, it has glands in its skin that are able to produce an irritating, mildly toxic slime. [2]
R. bistrispinus has a fusiform body shape and can grow to a maximum body length of 15 cm. The body has a dark reddish brown color with the sides and belly being yellowish or cream. Covering it are dark red-brown spots. It has three spines on vertical edge of preopercle. [2]
R. bistrispinus is distributed across the western Atlantic Ocean in areas nearby the Antilles, the Bahamas, Brazil and southern Florida. It is a solitary species inhabiting sandy bottoms strewn with rocks and rubble rarely being seen in reefs. [2]
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