| Main Ref. | Sparks, J.S., 2001 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Body elongate and laterally compressed (Ref. 40787). Mouth large and oblique (Ref. 40787). Snout elongate, dorso-ventrally compressed and flattened (Ref. 40787). Presence of palatine tooth patches and well-developed endopterygoid tooth patches (Ref. 40787). First dorsal fin with 4-6 unbranched rays, second dorsal fin with 11-13 rays (Ref. 40787). Cycloid scales: 16-18 predorsal scales, 36-38 scales in a longitudinal series (Ref. 40787). No solid, broad, midlateral band, but the presence of a unique pattern of numerous small and irregularly shaped black blotches, streaks, and speckles on the flanks in males, producing a barred or mottled lateral pigmentation pattern (Ref. 40787). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | 36 - 38 |
| 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 | 8 - 10 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 35 - 37 |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 16 - 19 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |