| Main Ref. | Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman, 1973 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| 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 elongate, greatest depth in front of dorsal fin. Head bluntly triangular, a small but distinct hump present behind the head. Mouth inferior, sucker-like, lower jaw with fleshy lip. Overall coloration gray or gray-brown with scattered and vague darker flecks, usually above midline of sides; lower sides and belly somewhat yellowish or creamy white. A faint lateral band present. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 55 - 58 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 2 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 37 - 38 |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 9 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 6 - 7 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 13 - 14 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |