Bramidae
by R. L. Haedrich
Medium- to large-sized oceanic fishes with deep compressed bodies of a dark or silvery colour. Maxillary exposed, broad and scaled, extending at least to below middle of eye. Dorsal fin single and long-based, equal to or little longer than anal fin, with a few spines forming an integral part of fin. Pectoral fins long and wing-like; ventral fins usually 1 + 5 with a prominent axillary scale. Scales large and usually keeled, covering oody and head with the exception of naked areas on snout. Scales extend onto median fins except in Pteraclis and Pterycombus where they form a basal sheath for dorsal and anal fins.
Oceanic fishes, epi- or mesopelagic, of warm and temperate waters. They travel in small schools and are nowhere abundant. Larvae generally occur far at sea in the warm-water plankton.
Genera 6; in Clofnam area 5. (The sixth, Eumegistus, occurs in the Caribbean and off West Africa and thus might be found in the northeastern Atlantic.)
Recent revision: Mead (1972).