Species: Sciades herzbergii, Pemecou sea-catfish, Pemecou Sea Catfish

Sciades herzbergii (Bloch, 1794)

Pemecou sea-catfish

Head rounded, only slightly flattened; snout long, overhangs mouth, distinctly rounded when viewed from above; bony head shield very rough, granular, extends forward to between eyes; bony plate at front of base of dorsal fin short, crescent shaped, sometimes notched behind where it meets the dorsal fin spine; bony process between head shield and pre-dorsal plate rough, broad at base, tapering to rear, slightly keeled above; a large transverse skin fold between rear nostrils; three pairs of barbels (on both jaws and chin), top barbels with very thick bases; roof of mouth with two pairs of patches of conical teeth, front pair fused centrally and continuous with  rear pair, the entire set U shaped; gill opening wide, membranes not adhering to breast; gill rakers on second arch 21-23 (19-26), sometimes a few tiny rakers on rear of 1st 2 gill arches; pectoral soft rays 10 (10-11); tail fin deeply forked; a complete lateral line, with branches to top and bottom base of tail fin, no scales.