Family: CHAUNACIDAE, Coffinfishes, Gaper, Gapers

FAMILY CHAUNACIDAE

GAPERS, COFFINFISHES

Body rounded, slightly compressed, tapering to a small, rounded tail; head large, globular, cuboid; eyes high on side of head, covered with a clear skin window; mouth large, strongly oblique to ~vertical; teeth small, slender, sharp; dorsal fin in 2 parts: 1st is a single spine modified as an angling lure in a scaleless, oval depression on snout, lure is a dense cluster of short threads like a short mop, 2nd & 3rd spines not externally visible; soft dorsal on rear of body, 10-12; anal fin 0, 5-7; pectorals behind mid-body, 10-15; skin very loose, flaccid, densely covered with minute spine-like scales; single open lateral line from base of tail fin to head, there with prominent canals, & from chin along lower side of body to above pectorals.

A worldwide, tropical to temperate family with 2 genera and about 15 species; 3 in the Greater Caribbean

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER FAO