Distinguishing characteristics: esca with tapering, internally pigmented, anterior appendage, becoming proportionally longer with growth, and usually bearing 2 short, unpigmented filaments on anterior margin near distal tip; unpaired, unpigmented filamentous medial escal appendage normally consisting of numerous branched filaments, flanked on each side by a similar filamentous medial appendage; terminal escal papilla truncated, sometimes with distal spot of dark pigment; posterior escal appendage is laterally compressed and crescent-shaped, sometimes pigmented on distal margin; unpigmented filamentous lateral escal appendage on each side; absence of anterolateral escal appendages; epibrachial I bearing 1-5 teeth; pharyngobranchial II toothed; upper jaw with 29-180 teeth, lower jaw with 53-160 teeth; vomer with 4-10 teeth (Ref. 86949).