| 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 | elongated |
| Cross section | circular |
| 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 | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Head large, scaled completely except for a narrow ventrolateral strip on snout; eyes also large; snout short, pointed and with tubercular scales along its leading edge; chin with a small chin barbel. Body tapering to a point posteriorly from behind the insertion of the first dorsal-fin spine. Scales adherent, with 3 to 5 divergent rows of coarse spinules. Pyloric caeca 12 to 14. Overall color is gray to grayish-brown in young, turning to dark brown in adults; fins generally dark. Branchiostegal rays: 6-6 (Ref. 36385). |
| 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 | 5 - 11 |
| on upper limb | 0 - 2 |
| total | 5 - 13 |
| 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 | 122 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | pointed; confluent |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 94 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 19 - 22 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position jugular beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 8 - 9 |