'tfS' 
Body robust, compressed. Head broad, large. Mouth moderate, oblique, 
lower jaw projecting. Band of villiform teeth in each jaw, palate toothless. 
Tongue wide, mostly free, rounded in front. Gill openings separated by 
wide isthmus, gill membranes extending forward'but not united across it. 
Gill rakers short, well spaced, about 8. Psendobranchiae present. Exposed 
edge of shoulder girdle forming smooth, curved ridge. Scales rather large, 
mostly ctenoid on body, cycloid on head*, 3° to 40 in lateral body series; 
extend forward on upper surface of head to between hind nostrils and cover 
cheek and opercle. Rows of minute pores extend around eye, across cheek, 
behind preopercle and on each side of mandible. Dorsal spines 7 to 9, 
rays 9 to 14. Anal rays 9 to 14. Caudal rounded. Ventrals separate, with 
spine and 5 nays. 
Differs from Ophiocara chiefly in physiognomy. Odontobutis h as a 
narrow isthmus separating the gill openings, over which the gill membranes 
are narrowly united. 
