| Main Ref. | Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral | short and / or deep |
| 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 | superior |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Color variable, usually yellow, red or pale tan, often with a weakly pigmented dark spot at posterior dorsal fin base. Illicium about equal to the length of the 2nd dorsal spine. Esca a spherical whitish blob or it may be filamentous. Last ray of pelvic fin bifurcate. Caudal peduncle absent. Description: Characterized by unbranched pelvic rays except posterior most; curved second dorsal spine, not connected to head by membrane; depressed naked area between second and third dorsal spines; dorsal and anal fins ending at base of caudal fin (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 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 | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | first fin ray transformed to 'line and (luminous) bait' |
| Fins number | 3notched No |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 12 - 13 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 7 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 9 - 12 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes aberrant |
| Position thoracic behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |