Mugiloididae

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Mugiloididae (Parapercidae; sand perch, grubfish; subclass Actinopterygii, order Perciformes) A small family of marine fish that have an elongate body, small scales, a protractile mouth, and a large head. The dorsal and anal fins are long; the pelvic fins are located beneath the pectoral fins. The dorsal position of the eyes suggests a bottom-dwelling way of life. One of the larger species is Parapercis colias (blue cod), 65 cm, a popular food fish in New Zealand. Generally they are inshore fish. There are about 25 species, confined to the southern hemisphere.