Genus: Lucifuga, Cave Brotula, Cave Brotulas

LUCIFUGA

CAVE BROTULAS

Head deep at rear, snout depressed, forehead profile concave; top of head cavernous; body elongate, tapering to a narrow tail base; eye small, often not visible externally; front nostril is immediately above the top lip; top jawbone vertically expanded at rear, a small downpointing knob near lower rear corner; no central tooth patch at bottom of gill arches; pectoral base broader than long; pectoral 10-22; anal fin origin behind midpoint of body; tail fin varies from almost unconnected to fully connected with dorsal and anal fins; tail fin 8-11; lateral line in 2 overlapping parts, front part on upper body, lower part along midside; body covered with regularly overlapping scales; head with scales; male "penis" without bone-reinforced pseudoclaspers.

A neotropical genus with 8 known species; 7 in the Greater Caribbean, 4 treated here.