Deep rounded body. Upper rostral pores absent, marginal rostral pore median only. First pair of mental pores small, rounded, at front of chin, separated by symphysis. Gill rakers long, slender, about 1.5 times as long as gill filaments at angle of arch, 16 to 27 on lower limb. Second anal spine slender, 33-37 % of head length. Scales on head and anterior part of body cycloid (smooth). Small scales present on soft parts of dorsal and anal fins; many of ventral scales covering patches of yellow, luminous tissue. Swim bladder carrot-shaped, with about 20 pairs of arborescent appendages along its side, each with a well-developed dorsal and ventral limbs; the first pair entering head beyond transverse septum. Sagitta (large earstone0 with a tadpole-shaped impression, the tail of which nearly straight, only slightly curved, ending in a rounded disc.