| Main Ref. | Gibbs, R.H. Jr., 1986 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | light organs |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Body black in color, often iridescent (Ref. 3982). Teeth in jaws uniserial, very short, spine-like, about equally spaced (Ref. 559). Snout shorter than eye (Ref 559). Anal fin with many rays; its base long, more than twice that of dorsal (Ref. 559). Gill rakers much attenuated, numerous, close together (Ref. 559). |
| 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 | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 12 |
| Adipose fin | present |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 22 - 28 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 6 - 9 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |