| Main Ref. | Masuda, H., K. Amaoka, C. Araga, T. Uyeno and T. Yoshino, 1984 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | short and / or deep |
| 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 flexible. Mouth extremely large, maxillary not projecting beyond tip of snout. No canine tooth. Tip of lower jaw slightly beyond the upper; upper jaw shorter than head length. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 152 - 205 |
| 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 | 0 - 5 |
| on upper limb | 0 - 0 |
| total | 0 - 5 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 111 - 127 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 76 - 88 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 13 - 16 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position jugular behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 6 - 6 |