1539 
Body elongate, compressed. Head rather small, robust. 
Snout very short, rounded. Eye small, greatly advanced. 
Mouth cleft deep, upper edge formed by thin tapering pre¬ 
maxillary. No maxillaries. Mandible protruded. Teeth card- 
iform, recurved, unequal, depressible, largest in jaws, more 
or less barbed. Palatines and tongue with teeth. Gill open¬ 
ings wide, membranes free from isthmus. Branchiostegals 17 
to 25. Skeleton rather fine. Air bladder small or absent. 
Pyloric appendages 16. Intestine short. Scales thin, cycloid, 
deciduous, none anteriorly on body. Lateral line axial, com- 
plete. Dorsal short, inserted premedian. Adipose fin pre¬ 
sent. Anal postmedian. Caudal forked or trilobate.. Pectoral 
placed high, small or long. Ventral moderate or long. 
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