| Main Ref. | Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | circular |
| 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 | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Head almost completely scaled, except for the underside of the snout and anteriorly on the mandibular rami. Snout short, pointed, with stout conical tubercle at its tip and lateral angles; suborbital ridge prominent; mouth small; chin barbel very small. Scales rather deciduous; body scales with slender spinules in 7 to 19 parallel rows. Pyloric caeca 11 to 14, about half of orbit diameter, directed anteriorly. Overall color is purplish brown, lighter ventrally on head and trunk; oral and branchial cavities blackish; fins blackish. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 1 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 9 - 10 |
| on upper limb | 0 - 1 |
| total | 11 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 19 - 21 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 7 - 8 |