The Surmullets
THIS family is briefly characterized by having the ventrals definitely 1, 5, thoracic and separate, gill-openings in front of pectorals, the body covered with large, slightly ctenoid scales, the suborbital without a bony stay, 2 dorsal fins remote from each other, both short, the first of 6 to 8 rather high spines, pectoral entire, no finlets, lateral line unarmed, and throat with 2 long barbels.
