| 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 | fusiform / normal |
| 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 | superior |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Body elongate, compressed, with large cycloid scales. Body uniformly blackish-brown in young, black dorsally, paler ventrally in adults. Distinguished by its anal fin element counts, lack of fin spine with serration on the anterior edge, and 3 to 6 large canine-like teeth on lateral side of the lower jaw. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | 28 - 33 |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 2 - 3 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 7 - 7 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 12 - 15 |
| on upper limb | 3 - 8 |
| total | 13 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | 10 - 10 |
| total | 25 - 25 |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 10 - 10 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 9 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 7 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 16 - 16 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |