| Main Ref. | Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | elongated |
| Cross section | circular |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Snout long and pointed, its anterolateral margin completely supported by bone; the dorsal surface of the snout completely scaled. Head ridges strong, spiny, supraoccipital and post-temporal ridges developed; the underside of the head, including the mandibular rami, covered with scales having a single spinous ridge. Light organ barely visible externally as a black crescent before the anus. Overall color is brownish to grayish; the fins are dusky to black; the mouth bluish-gray; the gill cavity blackish. |
| Ease of Identification |
| 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 | 1 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 7 |
| on upper limb | 0 |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 18 - 19 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |