Regalecidae
by G. Palmer
Very elongate, slender, compressed fishes reaching to 7 m in length; head short, mouth small, protrusible; teeth, when present, minute, uniserial in both jaws, absent on vomer. Dorsal fin long-based, with 150-500 finrays, first rays on nape very elongate, distally free and leaf-shaped, as is the single ray of pelvic fins; no anal fin; pectoral fins short, inserted horizontally; caudal fin rudimentary or wanting, except in young where it consists of some long free finrays. Skin naked; lateral line present, as a chain of oblong plates embedded in the skin or forming a continuous tube.
Epi- or mesopelagic fishes in most tropical and temperate seas.
Genera 2; in Clofnam area 1.