| Main Ref. | Whitehead, P.J.P., M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.), 1986 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | other |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | different colors during breeding season only |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking type of mouth |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | superior |
| Type of scales | scales embedded or partly/completely absent |
| Diagnosis |
Patterns of sensory papillae require detailed description. Pronounced sexual dimorphism. Anterior nostril a short tube. Pectoral fin uppermost rays within membrane. Males: with prominent front canine teeth; pelvic disc complete and deep; 1st dorsal with only 2 with rays. Females: pelvic disc reduced or lacking; 1st dorsal absent or rudimentary. Vertebrae 30(29-31). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | absent |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | other |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 2 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 18 - 20 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 1 - 1 |
| Soft-rays total | 20 - 21 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |