Grammicolepididae
by J.-C. Quero
Moderately or very deep and compressed fishes (more so in young). Mouth terminal, small, strongly oblique with a very short and ridged maxilla; occipital crest thin; 3 1/2 gills, no slit behind last. Pelvic fins with I + 6-9 finrays; dorsal and anal fin bases long, anal fin with 2 spines preceding soft finrays; caudal fin with 13 branched finrays (11 in other zeiform fishes). Body covered with vertically elongate scales; a row of thin bony knobs, each bearing a main spine, along entire bases of dorsal and anal fins.
Deepwater fishes, from 300 to more than 900 m.
Genera 3; in Clofnam area 1.
Recent revision: Heemstra (1980 southern African species).