Family: CHLOROPHTHALMIDAE, Greeneye, Greeneyes

FAMILY CHLOROPHTHALMIDAE

GREENEYES

Small, slender fishes; body ~oval in cross-section; head ~30% of SL; snout long, somewhat depressed, pointed; eye large, green, pupil teardrop shaped, a pointed space before it; lower jaw protruding, with a knob on the chin; top jaw bone slightly expanded at rear, reaches just behind front of eye, with a single small extra bone above the expanded part; no teeth on tongue; fins without spines; dorsal fin in front 1/3 of body, its origin ~over or before pelvic fin origin, with more rays than anal fin (10-11 vs 7-9); a small skin-flap (adipose) 2nd dorsal fin at rear of body over center of anal fin; pectorals on midflank, inserted before origins of dorsal and anal fins; anus nearer pelvic fins than anal fin; lateral line complete; scales rough or smooth.

A family of deepwater benthic fishes; worldwide; 10 species in 2 genera; 1 Atlantic species in the Greater Caribbean.