Centracanthidae
by E. Tortonese
Rather elongate fishes with a single dorsal and a forked caudal fin. Premaxillaries very protractile. Small and conical teeth, arranged in more than 1 row in jaws; a few anterior ones enlarged; vomerine teeth present or absent; palatine teeth absent. No opercular spines. Scales ctenoid.
Schooling fishes in littoral zone. Feed on pelagic copepods and small benthic invertebrates.
Genera 10-12; in Clofnam area 3.