| Main Ref. | Ambrose, D.A., 1996 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | other |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks | Intromitent organ present. |
| Striking features | long whip-like tail |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | elongated |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
scales present on body and head; eye diameter less than snout length; prominent opercular spine present; lateral ethmoid bone developed as a sharp retrorse suborbital spine; palatine teeth present; 3 well developed rakers on first arch; male intromittent organ on a broad, fleshy pad or stalk (Ref. 38374); branchiostegal rays: 8 (Ref. 36488). |
| Ease of Identification | likely to be confused with closely related species. |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 3 - 3 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 13 - 17 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 59 - 63 |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 100 - 114 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | pointed; confluent |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 74 - 86 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 24 - 26 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 1 - 1 |