Diagnosis: flat and elongate body, slightly tapering backwards; snout broadly rounded, its rostral hook rather short, extending to level of anterior nostril; mouth hook-shaped; eyes small and placed on left side of head, separated by wide interorbital space; preopercular margin not free, covered by skin and scales; dorsal and anal fins lacking spinous rays and confluent with caudal fin; pectoral fins absent or rudimentary; only the pelvic fin of eyed side present, united to anal fin; small ctenoid scales on eyed side and cycloid scales on blind side; median lateral line on blind side (Ref. 81291).

Description: angle of mouth extending backwards beyond level of lower eye; caudal fin with 12 rays; median lateral line with 124-138 tubular scales; 17-19 scale rows between midlateral and dorso-marginal lines (Ref. 81291).

Colouration: eyed side more or less uniformly brown, with greenish reflections in life; opercular region often blackish; blind side whitish (Ref. 81291).