| 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 | |
| Diagnosis |
Eyes relatively large. Snout short, moderately pointed, usually somewhat rounded with a high dorsal profile in adults, but often with prominent tubercles at its tip and lateral angles. Mouth large, lips thin. Underside of the head generally covered with small scales. Pyloric caeca 18 to 28. Overall color dark brown to swarthy in most individuals, but some are much paler; fins and lips blackish (Ref. 1371). |
| 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 | 5.5 - 6.5 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 1 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 7 - 8 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | 124 - 125 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | pointed |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 110 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 18 - 21 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 7 - 9 |