| Main Ref. | Wheeler, A., 1977 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks | Parasitic males. |
| Striking features | striking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral | short and / or deep |
| Cross section | circular |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly concave |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | scales embedded or partly/completely absent |
| Diagnosis |
Mature females are unpigmented and have a nearly rounded shape of body. There are spines above the eyes and behind the mouth. The illicium consists of a rounded flap without pole. Small numerous teeth in both jaws (Ref. 557). Free lining males are characterized by: having weak sphenotic spines, nearly absent; slender and angled preopercle; moderately elevated epiotic region of skull; well developed premaxillae; 20-24 teeth on each side of upper and lower jaws (Ref. 86949). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Pored lateral line scales | 0 - 0 |
| Scales in lateral series | 0 - 0 |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 0 - 0 |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | other |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 3 - 3 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 3 - 3 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes suppressed/absent |
| Position absent | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 0 - 0 |