Body elongate, strongly compressed. Head compressed, with median 
cutaneous keel above, upper profile convex, concave before eyes. Snout 
very short. Eye large. Maxillary reaches below eye. Mouth cleft large, 
very oblique, lower jaw prominent. Teeth in jaws pluriserial, with outer 
series enlarged, and anteriorly 4 canines, in lower jaw 2 before and 2 
behind symphysis. Lower pharyngeals with villiform teeth. Gill openings 
broad. Branchiostegals 5• Scales on body ctenoid, deciduous, 100 in 
lateral series. First dorsal with 6 spines, second dorsal with spine and 
31 rays, fins subcontinuous, rays more than twice longer than spines; 
anal with spine and 31 rays, simple like dorsal rays; caudal lanceolate; 
ventral with spine and 4 rays, 
East Indies. Known by the great compression of its body, elevated 
fronto-nuchal cutaneous ridge, dentition and fin rays. 
