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The morphology and position of the pericyte, a periendothelial cell, is described for a teleost fish, Cyprinodon variegatus. This cell was found attached to the abluminal surfaces of capillaries, venules, and arterioles of the submucosa of the midgut of the fish. The cell was encompassed by a thin basal lamina, possessed numerous plasmalemmal vesicles, a "sole region" which contained thinner actin-like filaments and possibly thicker myosin-like filaments, and ranged in form from ovoid to stellate, with long cytoplasmic extensions that partially covered the endothelium of the associated microvessel. The pericyte of C. variegatus has been shown to give rise to hemangiopericytomas (experimentally induced with diethylnitrosamine) and possibly to pericytomas. In this regard and in regard to its normal ultrastructural morphology, and anatomical position, in relationship to microvasculature in this fish, the cell is very similar to other vertebrate pericytes. Limited evidence suggests that small fish species may be excellent study models for further elucidation of pericyte form, function, and role in disease.