| Main Ref. | Smith, C.L., 1997 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | other (see remarks) |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | angular |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | sucker-like |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | ganoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Elongate fish, pentagonal in cross section and shark-like fins (Ref. 26938). Double row of pre anal shields. Presence of a soft fontanelle. Bony shields are oval. Carina on dorsal shields do not have a conspicuous hook. Head and back bluish-black and lower surface whitish (Ref. 37032). Snout long, sharply V-shaped. 2 pairs of short, slender barbels in transverse line midway between end of snout and anterior edge of mouth (Ref. 4639). Viscera pale (Ref. 7251). Presence of 4 small scutes, usually as 2 pairs between anal fin and caudal fulcrum (Ref. 86798). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | 15 - 27 |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 30 - 46 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | heterocercal; confluent |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 22 - 32 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 40 - 41 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 28 - 29 |