510 
Body elongate, eel shaped. Head very short, rounded, very 
obtuse or blunt anteriorly, slightly compressed. Mouth small, 
entirely anterior. Jaws equal, edges hard. Teeth small, uni¬ 
serial, rounded close set, incisor like. No vomerine teeth. 
Mandible very deep, strong. Tongue broad, somev/hat free anter¬ 
iorly. Premaxillaries and maxillaries of each side coalesced 
and separated from each other by ethmoid. Lips full. Opercle 
sabre shaped. Wostrila large, front one with slight rim, not 
tubular. Gill openings very small, longitudinal, before and 
below pectorals. Scales linear, disposed at right angles. 
Lateral line faint. Vertical fins confluent around tail, dor¬ 
sal begins not far behind pectorals. Pectoral short. Vent be¬ 
fore anal, median. 
One species in deep water, parasitic on larger fishes. 
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