Body robust, compressed. Head large, broad. Snout obtuse. 
Eye moderate. Mouth with lower jaw projecting in front. Each jaw with 
band of villiform teeth, and outer row of stronger ones. Tongue broad, 
subtruncate, free anteriorly. Interorbital broad, flat. Gill openings 
wide, extend well forward below, leaving narrow or moderately wide isthmus 
M- 
between. Gill rakers short, broad, 9 below. Pse?\dobranchiae present. 
Scales large, mostly ctenoid on body, cycloid on head, 28 to 38 in axial 
lateral series to hypural, extend forward on head before hind nostril, and 
completely cover cheeks and opercles, Mucigerous canals of head almost 
hidden in scales; some large open pores on snout, interorbital, nuchal 
groove and preopercle margin. Exposed edge of shoulder girdle forms smooth, 
curved ridge. Dorsal and anal fins short, former with 6 spines and 9 
rays. Caudal and pectoral rounded. Ventrals widely separated, each with 
spine and 5 rays. 
