| Main Ref. | Whitehead, P.J.P., 1985 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | males alike females |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking fins |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| 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 | terminal |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Body moderately deep; belly with 15 to 18 + 8 to 12 scutes. Mouth small. Last dorsal fin ray long, about equal to distance from snout tip to mid-pectoral fin or beyond; anal fin relatively short. Scales relatively large, regularly arranged. A dark spot behind gill opening. Gill rakers fine and numerous (Ref. 188). Body bright silvery, especially on sides, opercles and underparts. Back and upper sides bluish black or dark olivaceous (Ref. 37032). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | 41 - 48 |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 16 - 20 |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 440 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 43 - 44 |
| Attributes | last fin rays very elongated |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 11 - 15 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 17 - 27 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 12 - 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 8 - 8 |