Oedalechilus Fowler, 1904
Diagnosis: body cylindrical. Head broad, snout truncate, space between eyes flat and about equal to width of cleft of mouth; adipose eyelid rudimentary; upper lip deep, slightly more than pupil diameter, without papillae, its margin formed of a single row of dense, horny projections (similar but smaller projections on lower lip); corner of mouth cleft almost reaching to below front nostril; hind tip of maxilla strongly curved downward, visible when mouth closed; preorbital deeply notched at level of corner of mouth. Pectoral axillary scale rudimentary; anal fin with 11 soft finrays. Pyloric caeca 6 or 7 (rarely 5). Colour: back grey/blue, flanks and belly pale or silvery, with golden longitudinal stripes along scale rows. Size: to 25 cm.
Habitat: coastal waters, but not entering estuaries. Food: no data. Reproduction: no data.
Distribution: Atlantic coasts from Morocco to Gibraltar; also, whole of Mediterranean, but not in Black Sea. Elsewhere, no reliable records.
Species 1.
Recent revisions: see family.
Species of this genus in the program:
Oedalechilus labeo