| Main Ref. | Kong, I., R. Meléndez and G. Henriquez, 1988 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | long whip-like tail |
| 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 | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Snout rather blunt; eye diameter almost as long as snout; opercular spine strong and straight; hind margin of preopercle usually with 3 sharp spines; 1 median (long and narrow) and a pair of basibranchial tooth patches; pseudobranchial filaments 2 or 3 (Ref. 34024); 6-9 developed rakers on anterior arch (Ref. 38374); lower 5-6 pectoral fin rays free and longer than upper ones (Ref. 38374); precaudal vertebrae 13-16 (Ref. 34024). |
| Ease of Identification | likely to be confused with closely related species. |
| 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 | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 20 - 29 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 94 - 117 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | pointed; confluent |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 88 - 102 |
| Pectoral | Attributes several lower rays isolated |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 20 - 28 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes reduced to filaments |
| Position jugular before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 2 - 2 |