Genus: Bembrops, Flathead, Duckbills, Flatnoses

BEMBROPS

DUCKBILLS, FLATNOSES

Head depressed; eye large, above, close-set; lower jaw strongly projecting, often with lower teeth exposed; rear of top jawbone with a tentacle; jaw teeth simple; teeth present on center and sides of roof of mouth; two dorsal fins, VI (front spines crowded) + 14-18; anal fin 0, 16-19; pectoral fin long and wide, 22-30 rays; pelvic fins I, 5, under operculum, wide between those fins; tail fin with 10-11 branched rays; scales rough on head and body; lateral line arched at front; a spine at front of lateral line, first few lateral line scales with a prominent keel; lateral line 40-70 scales.

This genus of circumglobal (except for eastern Pacific) deepwater fishes has 19 species; 7 species in our area.