Astronesthes Richardson, 1844
Body not especially elongate, its depth 4-8 times in SL. Enlarged teeth (fangs) present in jaws; rear part of upper jaw (maxilla) with a series of small, closely spaced, comb-like teeth that slant rearward; gill bars with separated groups of short spines along their length; post-orbital luminous organ single. Dorsal fin origin at less than 60% of SL, slightly posterior to pelvic fin insertion; dorsal adipose fin present.
See family for biology, etc. Young of some species are commonly caught in nets towed at the surface.
Species about 25; in Clofnam area 8.
Recent revisions: Gibbs (1964); work in progress by Gibbs.
Species of this genus in the program:
Astronesthes cyclophotus
Astronesthes gemmifer
Astronesthes indicus
Astronesthes leucopogon
Astronesthes macropogon
Astronesthes micropogon
Astronesthes neopogon
Astronesthes niger