Genus: Anthias, Jewelfishes

ANTHIAS

JEWELFISHES

Body elongate, oblong to oval, strongly compressed; head strongly compressed; eye moderate to large; no fleshy papillae around edge of eye; front and rear nostrils close together; rear edge of front nostril with a flap, but no filament; mouth moderately to strongly oblique, lower jaw projecting, rear of top jaw exposed when mouth closed, without accessory bone above it; with or without patch of granular teeth on tongue; tooth patch on center of roof of mouth not prolonged at rear; preoperculum with rear margin serrated, but no forward pointing spines on lower corner; 37-48 gill rakers; dorsal fin X, 13-16; anal fin III, 6-8; pectorals 16-18; pelvic inserted slightly before base of pectoral; tail fin forked to concave, lobes with filaments; scales rough, without small accessory scales on head or body, 31-48 on lateral line; head and jaws fully scaled; lateral line complete.

A genus with 8 species, found in the E Pacific, both sides of the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean.