| Main Ref. | Smith, D.G., 1997 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | superior |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Description: Body streamlined and compressed (Ref. 52193). Eye large; mouth large, lower jaw projects beyond snout; a bony gular plate present between the jaw bones; teeth extremely fine (Ref. 52193, 10982). Dorsal fin with 16-21 rays; anal fin with 23-31 rays; dorsal fin with last fin ray extended into a long filament, directly over pelvic fins; pectoral fins low on side of body near ventral margin; abdominal pelvic fins with 9 or more rays; caudal fin deeply forked (Ref. 52193, 10982). Scales large; lateral line scales 36-42; prominent elongate scales at base of paired fins; head without scales (Ref. 52193, 10982). Can tolerate oxygen-poor water by 'breathing' air into a modified lung-like swimbladder (Ref. 10982). Colouration: Blue-green dorsally; silver on sides (Ref. 10982). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 36 - 42 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 30 - 35 |
| on upper limb | 15 - 17 |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | other |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 16 - 21 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 23 - 31 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 15 - 16 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 10 - 11 |