| Main Ref. | Meléndez, C., R. and D.F. Markle, 1997 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Body short and moderately deep; covered by small and deciduous scales; ending in small and thin caudal peduncle; 51-61 total vertebrae; mouth floor, gill chambers, and lips dark; modified scales on lateral line about 21-25 (Ref. 31160). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 14 - 14 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 38 - 38 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 14 - 17 |
| on upper limb | 7 - 8 |
| total | 21 - 25 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 51 - 61 |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 69 - 82 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | pointed; asymmetric |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 61 - 76 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 21 - 26 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes rays very elongated |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 3 - 3 |