MELANOCETIDAE

Females of the Melanocetidae are distinguished by having a short, deep body, globular; mouth large, opening oblique to nearly vertical; numerous well-developed teeth on jaws; vomer usually well-toothed, with a single row of up to 12 teeth; head smooth and rounded, spines absent on the sphenotic, quadrate and articular bones; illicium emerging on snout, its supporting pterygiophore fully embedded in skin of head; body smooth, dermal spines or spinules absent; dorsal fin long, with 13–16 (rarely 12 or 17) rays, anal fin short, with 4 (rarely 3 or 5) rays, and 15–23 pectoral-fin rays; males may attach temporarily to females (Pietsch, 2009).