Species: Sciades proops, Crucifix sea-catfish, Crucifix Sea Catfish

Sciades proops (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840)

Crucifix sea-catfish

Head more or less flattened; snout slightly overhangs mouth, square when viewed from above; bony head shield very rough, extends forward to rear of eyes; bony plate at front of base of dorsal fin large, saddle shaped, rough, with a notch at front; bony process between head shield and pre-dorsal plate varies from a slender spine to squarish with a spine whose point extends into a notch at the front of the pre-dorsal plate behind it; no large  transverse skin fold between rear nostrils; three pairs of barbels (on both jaws and chin), top barbels only reach pectoral fin; roof of mouth with two pairs of patches of conical teeth all fused into a U shaped patch, front side edges of rear patches notched or indented; gill opening wide, membranes not adhering to breast; gill rakers on 1st arch 15-18, no tiny rakers on rear of 1st 2 gill arches; pectoral soft rays 11-12; tail fin deeply forked; a complete lateral line, with branches to top and bottom base of tail fin, no scales.